StarWars: The Enigma
by Lomihahamech
Summary: A Rebel, a young Jedi, and the Sith all spell catastrophy for Theed
1. Dream

Ok, this is just a random StarWars story of mine. :) It takes place as Obi- Wan and Qui-Gon land on Naboo, but it follows none of the movies, or the StarWars time line, it's just random people. :) Enjoy!!  
  
  
  
Starwars  
  
The Enigma  
  
  
  
Nayr stood with her father on the platform of the temple, looking down at the arena.  
  
"See Nayr, all this splendor could be at your fingertips. Look at all these students are learning." Indoan-Adoy Solo said, peering over the railing and indicating to the Jedi. His daughter, Nayr, turned away.  
  
"You're just saying that because you want me to be a Jedi. They aren't learning anything, you're just lead to believe they are." The loud voice of the five year old rang around the platform. Indoan looked down, confused.  
  
"You just want me to be a Jedi, like you. You've always wanted me to be you, well, I'm not you." Indoan turned to look at his daughter, her anger had always astounded him.  
  
"Nayr, you know as well as I do that I am not yet a Jedi."  
  
"But you will be, today, isn't that why you dragged me here? To watch you triumph? I could be at home with my friends, but you wanted me to watch you. That's fine with me." Nayr leaned up against the railing, her long, fiery orange hair draped over her face, and covered most of her shoulders. Indoan smiled slightly.  
  
"You're hair is really growing Nayr. What is it now, down to your ankles."  
  
Nayr shook her head, normally her father's mention of her hair would bring a smile to her face. As she looked up, her face wore a scowl and a look of pure, frightening hatred.  
  
"No, it's only down to the small of my back, and you know that perfectly well."  
  
Nayr's father frowned, and turned away to look down at the railing.  
  
"Indoan-Adoy?" Nayr's young, 21 year old father turned at the sound of his master's voice.  
  
"Yes master?" He turned to walk into the shadows, and looked over his shoulder at Nayr, her face was horrified, and shocked.  
  
"Nayr? Nayr what's wrong?" He asked, turning to face her. She lifted her hand and pointed behind Indoan as his master ignited his lightsaber and brought it down upon her father. She screamed, and watched in horror as her father's killer dashed back into the darkness of the temple.  
  
She leaned forward to her fallen father, and caught sight of his blaster. She quickly took it out of its holster, and dashed into the darkness after the Jedi.  
  
Her heart beat faster then it ever had before. Her face was already stained with tears, but she could not let her father's death go un-avenged, she had to act now, or the master would get away. She turned a corner, and ran straight into him. Gasping she took a step back, falling onto her backside, and loosing her blaster.  
  
"Not so tough without daddy now are we?" The Jedi taunted, stepping closer. He hit the red button on his lightsaber, and the red light gave off enough of a glow for Nayr to see the blaster. The Jedi brought his lightsaber down as Nayr leapt for the blaster. The Jedi master caught Nayr with the saber; burning a deep scar from her right shoulder to her left hip across her back. The child let out a deafening scream of agony, and tripped backwards, pulling the trigger and catching the Jedi off guard in the chest.  
  
Nayr rolled onto her stomach, tears streaming her face more quickly. She felt the hot sting in her back from where the lightsaber had burnt into her skin. She could smell the flesh burning, could feel the open pain of the new wound, and the constricting skin. It was as if a seimstres was behind her, sewing together the gash on her back, pulling at her muscles and nerves.  
  
The lightsaber of the fallen master lay on the floor to her right, she turned her head. The Jedi was now on his back, dead.  
  
Nayr stood up slowly, breathing heavily and still crying. She picked up the blaster, and slipped it into a holster of her own, then, kneeling back down, she reached for the lightsaber, gasping in pain as she pulled the skin from her wound. Grabbing the lightsaber she reared back up on her knees, and tried to stand. Failing the first three attempts, the girl took a break, then stood up once more.  
  
Holding the lightsaber at her waist, she lunged forward with a cry of rage, and thrust the saber into the fallen Jedi's chest. She knelt down, and put her face in her hands.  
  
She heard footsteps, and stood up, looking down at the Jedi, then in the direction of her father, she tore the cloak from the fallen master, then raced towards her father's body.  
  
She reached the platform quickly, and knelt down beside her father. His eyes were open, but seeing nothing. She pulled the cloak of the fallen master over her shoulders, and reached with her right hand to tenderly close her father's eyelids.  
  
She fell forward over her father's chest, and cried.  
  
As the other Jedi arrived, they asked the young girl no questions, they simply took her to the healers, and left.  
  
They left her alone.  
  
They left!  
  
Nayr recovered quickly, but she was too late, the other Jedi would not tell her what had become of her father's body, or of his house. For when she ran home, her house, her home, was gone. Blown away, Nayr could only stare. A young boy walked up beside her, he could only have been a few years over her age.  
  
"It was the Jedi, they can't stand things like this. If I were you, I'd get back at them. They took my brother away from me, he joined them, traveled away, and my family and I haven't heard from him since." The boy turned, and walked away. Nayr didn't look up, but kept the young child's words in her mind, stored away forever……..  
  
the Jedi…. They left………. 


	2. Stranger

Nayr bolted upright in her bed, breathing heavily. She groaned, and lay back down on her pillow, the same nightmare kept returning. She pulled the covers up to her chin, groaned again, and pulled them over her head.  
  
Mirrewell, Nayr's Wookiee friend, stirred.  
  
"Nayr? What's wrong?" Mirr grunted, and sat up as her friend climbed out of bed. Nayr put a hand on her forehead as her hair slithered out of the bed to fall over her back and shoulders.  
  
"Not feeling well?" The Wookiee remarked, stretching, then yawning.  
  
"No, it's that nightmare again Mirr."  
  
Mirr frowned as she folded the blanket on the bed, and searched around for her blaster.  
  
Nayr combed out her hair, and twisted it up on her head, almost like a crown. A few stray pieces of orange hair dangled down below her shoulders. The young rebel looked to her left, and pulled on the cloak of her father's murder, along with her hip holster.  
  
"You really must concentrate on other things Nayr." The young Wookiee remarked slipping her blaster into her holster, and standing patiently for her friend to finish dressing.  
  
Nayr slipped a blaster into her hidden holster on her leg, and another in the remaining one. She turned to her friend and nodded.  
  
"Let's just get off this rock." She smiled, and Mirr returned the smile with a delighted nod.  
  
Neither of the girls wanted to stay on Alderaan any longer, they were both being transported to Naboo today, and didn't want to miss the flight.  
  
  
  
"Last call for Naboo! Last call!" The loud, booming echo-of-a-voice of the announcer droid greeted Nayr and Mirr as they entered the docking bay.  
  
"WOAH! WAIT! We're on that flight too!" Nayr shouted loudly as she and Mirr dashed up the ramp onto the ship.  
  
"No running in the bay please.. thank you." A droid said in its droning tone.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Nayr said sarcastically, bowing to the droid as she slowed her pace and ascended the ramp.  
  
As the two settled into the remaining seats in the back of the ship, a loud, un-emotional voice began giving instructions.  
  
"Please remove all weapons and place them in the holding compartment over head. Please connect your restraining garments, and have a nice trip."  
  
Nayr nodded sarcastically.  
  
"Nayr? Your not taking off your blasters?" The Wookiee pointed out as she started to remove her blaster.  
  
"No." Nayr said, leaning back into her chair, and folding her hands behind her head. "I'm not."  
  
Mirr gave her friend an odd look, and put her own blaster back. Smiling, she too leaned into her chair. Since the two were in the back, they didn't have to worry about the people behind them. Not that they would have anyway.  
  
  
  
The trip was long, and bumpy. But the two rebels didn't mind at all, as long as they were off that rock of a planet they were happy.  
  
Nayr and Mirr were the first off the ship, not caring what the other passengers would have wanted. Nayr and Mirr pushed past them, racing to see who would set foot on the new planet first. The girls, at only thirteen, were very excited and couldn't wait to start living on the new planet. Both girls were escorted to Theed with a guide, they soon took off in their own direction to find a place to stay.  
  
They soon found a room in an apartment complex. Unpacking their things, the girls decided to have a look around their new home, without the help of a guide.  
  
Putting together all the money they had earned, they had just enough to buy a landspeeder, and took off down the busy streets of Theed, supposedly the biggest city on Naboo.  
  
And it was.  
  
It took them four hours to get around the entire city, plus stops of course. They soon found work, Nayr as a weaponry assistant for the palace, and Mirr an engineer in the palace hanger. Considering themselves lucky, they celebrated that night at a casino, the biggest casino in Theed.  
  
As the girls talked about their new jobs, and their new home, a stranger on the other side of the casino took interest in them.  
  
Bathed in her dark cloak, Redav watched the two newcomers. Her master would be pleased with her if she could find information on these two. She had already uncovered names, Nayr-Isabuea Solo and Mirrewell. As well as the job titles they now held. Both of them now worked at the palace. The human girl with weapons, and the Wookiee female in engineering.  
  
Something was bothering the Sith though, something about this girl, Nayr, it reminded her of her sister, Centara.  
  
She blinked under her cloak as one of the Jedi from around Theed wondered into the casino. She gave a slight groan, and headed out of the casino, her long cloak trailing behind her like a dog on a scent 


	3. Nightmares

Nayr and Mirr retired to their place early that night. They had to report to the Palace first thing tomorrow morning, and they didn't want to be tired when they got there on the first day.  
  
But, neither of the girls slept soundly that night. Both of them were plagued with nightmares that would all to soon become a shocking reality…  
  
  
  
"NO!!!!!!!" Nayr screamed as her father was cut down by his master. She couldn't help him! She slammed her lightsaber into the energy beam in front of her, and the dark Jedi master turned in her direction. She scowled at the master as he paced back and forth on the other side of the beam like a lion stalking his prey.. Nayr turned her gaze to her fallen father, he was still alive! She could still reach him in time! All her attention was turned back to the master as the energy beam slipped away.  
  
She lunged forward to meet the Jedi and their lightsabers sizzled and burned. As Nayr pulled her lightsaber back, the Jedi aimed a well-timed kick and momentarily over-powered her. He kicked her in the side, and she fell into the melting pit of the Theed power generator, losing her lightsaber, she grabbed onto the only handhold she could find. She looked up at the Master as he held his lightsaber above his head and smiled a wicked grin.  
  
He began to torture her by hitting his lightsaber into the railing, sending sparks down on the girl.  
  
Looking towards her father, she saw his lightsaber, and using the force, back flipped back up to the platform while bringing the lightsaber of her father to her, and slicing the Jedi master in half. She watched as he looked down, and fell into the melting pit , two halves of one evil master. She returned to her father's side, he looked up at her.  
  
"It's- it's too late.."  
  
"No," Nayr whimpered.  
  
"Nayr, promise me…. That you will train Centara, promise me.. She-she is the chosen one.. P-promise me.."  
  
"I promise.." Nayr watched as her father slowly closed his eyes.  
  
  
  
Mirr groaned and rolled over in her bed, a nightmare of her very own stung like the hot Tatooine sun…  
  
  
  
Mirr roared as the storm troopers dragged Nayr backwards towards the carbine freezing chamber and Centara reached her hands towards her guardian. Mirr roared again and rushed towards Nayr as if to drag her away from the chamber. The storm troopers brought up their guns.  
  
"Mirrewell stop it, I need you to take care of Centara for me." Nayr turned her glance away with a look of sorrow. Mirr's father looked at his daughter, and pulled his blue cape around his shoulders. Mirr put her furry paw on Centara's shoulder as Darth Luam pointed to the storm trooper at the control, and told him to lower Nayr away.  
  
Mirr roared again, and then growled softly as she and the young Centara got their last glimpse of Nayr.  
  
Redav turned to them, and shook her head, turning to Darth Luam, they began to discuss what to do with the now frozen rebel.  
  
As the chamber hissed and smoked, the trooper at the control brought the rebel back to the surface. They harshly shoved the her over and Centara ran forward and nearly ran into the chamber herself, then stepped back as they pulled Nayr from the chamber on her back. Centara knelt down and leaned over to inspect her guardian, but all she saw was a frozen look of horror on a still silver face. Still on her knees over her friend she cried as Mirr walked over to comfort the young girl.  
  
  
  
As the two young girls reached the end of their nightmares, they sprang up in their beds, and turned to face the other, with horrified expressions.  
  
"Did you," Nayr began.  
  
"You too?" Mirr finished.  
  
"The vision, it… it was so real.. My father, did you?"  
  
"No, My father… did we really share the same vision?"  
  
"The Theed generator?" Nayr questioned. Mirr shook her head.  
  
"No. In my vision you were being set into carbionite, and Centara……" Mirr stopped, and her horrified expression became one of a creature nearing death. "CENTARA! Nayr! We must go find Centara!" The girls leapt to their feet, and ran out of their place, and towards the young girl's house. Before the two had gotten their jobs, they had met a young girl, her parents, and her siblings. The young girl and parents had befriended the two newcomers.  
  
"The vision what happened?" Nayr questioned, looking at her friend. At mention of visions, Nayr skidded to a halt, ran back into the room, and grabbed two blasters, one for herself, and one for Mirr. Giving her friend a blaster, they raced as fast as they could to Centara's house. But they were too late.  
  
They slowed as they saw the destruction, the house was aflame, and a young girl with her back to them was on her knees in the dirt, kneeling over a woman. As the two girls neared, they realized that it was Centara, kneeling over her badly wounded mother.  
  
"Oh….No.." Nayr gasped, and knelt down on the other side of Centara's mother. The woman looked up at Nayr, and grabbed the neckline of Nayr's cloak, surprising the young Rebel and pulling her towards the ground to stare her in the eyes.  
  
"Nayr.. You…. Must…. Guard… Centara… her……. Sister… brother… dark… side.." As the woman finished the sentence, her grip on Nayr's cloak lessened, and her hand hit the ground.  
  
Nayr turned to look at the young girl. Mirr looked down at Nayr, and their gazes locked.  
  
"She told you to guard Centara…." Mirr muttered, Nayr nodded.  
  
"I… should… .what should I do?" Mirr put a paw on Nayr's shoulder.  
  
"The last thing she said before she… passed away was to you, and she told you to guard her daughter. Nayr, you have no choice."  
  
Nayr nodded, and turned to look at Centara, she put her hand on the young girl's shoulder.  
  
"My dad.. he's still inside…" The five year old said, looking at Nayr with pain-filled eyes. Nayr took the girl's hand.  
  
"Centara, .." Nayr looked up at her friend for advice. The Wookiee could only shrug. "Come with me and Mirr, we'll think of something." The young girl took another look at her mother.  
  
"Is… is she?" She said, not taking her eyes from her mother.  
  
"Yes.." Nayr said quietly, still looking at the young girl. Centara stood up, and looked at Mirr, then to Nayr. Nayr smiled, hoping to give the young girl strength, they turned to leave. As they were nearing the road, Centara stopped, and dashed back to her mother. Nayr frowned, thinking that maybe the young girl would burst into a fit, and not go with them. But the young girl knelt over her mother, and, using her right hand, closed her mother's eyelids.  
  
Nayr narrowed her eyes, and looked at the ground, Mirr put her paw on Nayr's shoulder, and Nayr smiled.  
  
"You're going to help me with her, right Mirr?" She asked as the girl headed back towards them.  
  
"Always." Mirr agreed. 


	4. Pod-Race

"MIRR! PLEASE! It's so boring here!" Mirr didn't even blink as the young girl jumped up and down in front of her. It was Mirr's day to watch Centara. Mirr and Nayr had changed their shifts, so that they could work one day, and watch Centara the next, taking turns. That was two years ago. Mirr was fed up with the girl already.  
  
"MIRR! Are you in there!?" Centara yelled, tugging the Wookiee's arm, Mirr groaned. "I want to go see the pod-race!"  
  
"Fine," the Wookiee said, looking down at the seven year old. "Let's go."  
  
"YAY!" Centara and Mirr got into the landspeeder, and were off in no time. As they bought tickets, and took their seats, Mirr looked over her shoulder, and nearly gasped, seeing a dark cloaked figure disappear. She growled slightly, and put a paw on her blaster just in case.  
  
"You are aware, Centara, that this is a junior pod race? Not like the pod- races on Tatooine." Centara looked up at Mirr in astonishment.  
  
"You silly Wookiee! Of course this is a real pod race!" She said, totally confident that she was right.  
  
"OK, whatever you say kiddo." Mirr remarked, and folded her paws behind her head.  
  
By the end of the race, Mirr had fallen asleep, and Centara had nearly screamed her lungs out cheering for one of the racers. As the crowd got up and departed, Centara looked at Mirr, and figuring the Wookiee was sleeping, took off with the crowd.  
  
When Mirr woke up, the arena was empty.  
  
"Centara!?" The Wookiee screamed. "CENTARA!!" Mirr leapt over all of the chairs, two at a time as she dashed towards the exit.  
  
"Nayr's gonna kill me! CENTARA! Where are you! Get back here! Centara?" Mirr skidded to a halt as she left the arena, entering Theed… "Oooh, no… ooooooooooooooooohhhhhh nooooo….." The Wookiee groaned, remembering how large the city was. How was she supposed to find Centara? How was a young Wookiee supposed to find a young human girl in a city that took four hours to get around!  
  
"Nayr, she'll know what to do!" Mirr yelled, and jumped into the landspeeder, and took off towards the Palace to find Nayr.  
  
  
  
Nayr flipped up the visor on her mask, and looked at the gun she was completing. She lifted her hand, and wiped her forehead with her sleeve, letting out an exhausted breath. She turned it sideways, it was perfect, in her opinion. The perfect killing machine. It could be hidden easily, but shot poisonous bullets. She was working on the trigger at the moment, a very delicate process.  
  
"Nayr?" Nayr was startled, and hit the trigger, sending a 'test-bullet' into the wall, she turned to Hermil.  
  
"Uh, sorry."  
  
"Yeah?" She pulled her gloves off and set them down on her chair, along with her mask, and followed Hermil, the man who'd interrupted her.  
  
"There's a Wookiee here to see you." He said as they walked down the hallway.  
  
"A Wookiee?"  
  
"A very upset Wookiee. She demanded that we sent you over at once." Nayr frowned, and gasped.  
  
"Was she alone? Or did she have a…. a.. young girl with her?"  
  
"She was alone, or at least I didn't see anyone with her."  
  
Nayr took off down the hallway, running as fast as she could. Her metal boots clinked on the surface of the floor, she skidded to a halt, passing the door to outside, and fell into the closet nearby. Standing up, and brushing off, she stormed outside.  
  
"MIRREWELL!" She screamed.  
  
"Nayr! Let me explain! The pod-race-" The Wookiee began, but Nayr was already settling herself into the landspeeder.  
  
"Get in, now." She said forcefully, starting up the speeder. Mirr's jaw snapped open for a minute, but then she hurriedly climbed into the speeder.  
  
"NAYR!!!! What about your shift!" Hermill screamed after her as she drove away. "She'll have to catch up tomorrow, Wookiee or no Wookiee." He mumbled as he walked back into the Palace.  
  
  
  
"Centara! Centara!" Nayr called frantically as she and Mirr zoomed over the streets of Theed. "How could you fall asleep during a pod-race Mirr! And watching Centara none-the-less!"  
  
"CENTARA!" Was all the Wookiee said. 


	5. Little Green Men

Centara, was enjoying her time free of her mentors in the city of Theed. The young girl walked along the streets, unbothered.  
  
She began to hum to herself, and started skipping down one of the many alleyways. Soon she found herself trying to skip backwards.  
  
"HEY! Watch where you're going small fry.." A rough but young voice said from behind Centara. As the girl turned around, she saw a tall teenaged boy, with three or four friends all dressed in dark cloths seated in the alleyway. One of them was right in front of her, she must have knocked into him on her way past.  
  
"Sorry." Centara said, and turned to leave. Suddenly, a rough hand was on her shoulder.  
  
"Sorry? Is that all you got to say?"  
  
"Uh… yeah.." Centara said as she was roughly turned around to face the boy and his friends.  
  
"Well, I don't accept apologies…" The boy said as he lifted a hand as if to strike her. Centara cringed, but all of the sudden the boy flew backwards into two of his friends.  
  
Centara gasped, and turned around, standing behind her was a strange looking creature. She had no clue what it was. It was very short, and green, very green. It had long, cat-like ears and a scrunched up cat-like face. Over its shoulders was a cloak of the brownish-brown Centara had ever seen.  
  
"Come with me you should." It said, holding out a small, green hand in Centara's direction.  
  
"Get him!" The boy said from behind Centara, standing.  
  
Centara turned to look at the alien, who had let a smile play across its face. She ran towards the alien, and the two dashed off in another direction. Leaving the bullies in the alleyway bruised and bewildered.  
  
  
  
"Hurt are you?" The creature asked as he led Centara into a temple hidden behind the city.  
  
"No." Centara said simply, wondering what this strange creature wanted from her.  
  
"Yoda I am, Jedi Master." Yoda said, then turned to Centara. "Who are you?"  
  
"I…. UH. …. I'm Centara…….."  
  
"Just Centara?"  
  
Centara nodded. She'd heard too much about the Jedi from Nayr, and was now very frightened. If the Jedi were as bad as Nayr claimed, Centara was in for some real trouble. 


	6. More Strangers

"I cannot believe you Mirr!" Nayr shouted again as the two stormed up towards their room. "How could you fall asleep while you were watching her?"  
  
Mirr didn't say anything. She'd tried telling her friend it was an accident, but the young rebel just didn't seem to want to understand.  
  
"What if something happened to her Mirr?"  
  
"Nothing has happened to her." A voice said from the shadows. Nayr started, and pulled out her blaster, Mirr doing the same.  
  
"Who's there?!" Nayr demanded. The figure neither moved nor spoke. "I said, Who's there?!" She demanded again, the figure was still motionless. "I demand you to speak up!" Nayr said, one last time. This time the figure stepped forward, Nayr started again, nearly loosing her blaster. Putting her finger on the trigger.  
  
"I said, nothing has happened to the girl you seek."  
  
"Who are you!? And how the blackhole do you know?"  
  
As Nayr lifted her blaster again, the figure backflipped off the platform towards the city below. Nayr and Mirr exchanged glances, and ran towards the railing, looking over the edge, there was no figure in sight. Nayr turned to look at Mirr, who was just as upset as she. 


	7. New Family

Yoda took Centara into the Jedi temple, and the girl was fed, and given a room. As Centara lay in her bed, she began to wonder what Nayr saw in the Jedi that was so wrong. So far Jedi master Yoda had saved her from a sure beating, fed her and given her a place to stay. She promised herself that she would try to contact Nayr and Mirr in the morning.  
  
  
  
"Yoda?" Centara called as she wondered down the hallways. It was early morning, and the young girl wanted only to find her guardians.  
  
As she sauntered down the hallways, a few of the students gave her disrespectful gazes.  
  
"Why are they looking at me like that?" Centara said to herself as she turned a corner.  
  
"Because you have offended them." Centara gasped, and turned around, it was a young girl, dressed just like the others.  
  
"How did I offend them?" Centara asked, very puzzled.  
  
"You… you said 'Yoda.'" The girl lowered her voice to a whisper. "Nobody calls a Jedi master by their first name, it's disrespectful. You'd better call him Master Yoda from now on."  
  
"Thanks." Centara said, and smiled slightly. "I'm Centara, who are you?"  
  
"I'm Rutsa, just another Jedi wanna be."  
  
"Why would you want to be a Jedi?"  
  
Rutsa seemed a bit shocked.  
  
"Because I've always wanted to be a Jedi. The Jedi are the protectors of the galaxy. The Jedi Knights."  
  
"That's not what Nayr thinks."  
  
"Nayr?"  
  
"My g-" Centara stopped, and smiled. "My mother."  
  
Rutsa nodded. "You're lucky, my mom.. she… she died."  
  
"AH! Centara!" Both girls turned around as Master Yoda, walked up behind them. His little green feet clicking on the cobble stones of the temple.  
  
"Good morning master Yoda."  
  
Master Yoda smiled, and nodded at Rutsa.  
  
"Come Centara, something I must show you there is." 


	8. Jedi Senses

"Nayr, please, just… it's no use Nayr, we've looked all over Theed." Mirr pleaded as Nayr slammed her fist into the bar. She and Mirr had just spent two whole days looking for Centara, the young girl they had been sworn to guard. They were now sitting at a local bar in Theed, waiting for their drinks.  
  
"Yeah.. I suppose your right.. But… I… I don't know. She… I know she's around here somewhere!"  
  
Lately, Nayr had been wondering around this area, somehow knowing that Centara was around. Little did Nayr know, but the Jedi Temple was just across the street.  
  
Mirr put her strong Wookiee paw on her companion's shoulder.  
  
"Look Nayr, I understand. I want to find Centara too. But what more can we do? Trust me, I know someone must have found her, and are taking good care of her. After all we did." Nayr nodded.  
  
"Yeah, let's… lets just go home."  
  
Mirr nodded, and the two headed back into their speeder, and took it home. 


	9. Time-Jump

"See Centara, everything held together by the Force it is." Master Yoda had taken Centara into the back of the Temple. They now stood in a lush and green area, surrounded by trees and rocks and streams.  
  
"People of many the power to use the Force they have."  
  
"The Jedi." Centara remarked, kneeling down, and watching a small spider- like creature.  
  
"Correct, Jedi. When found a person with this power, they here are brought. Dying Jedi are though, left not many I'm afraid. Yes. But, feel I that you carry this power, I do." Yoda said, turning around and pointing at Centara.  
  
"What? Me?"  
  
"Ummhmm." Yoda remarked with a small laugh, he sat down on a log. "Train you we will, yes. Great Jedi you will become."  
  
"NO!" Centara yelled standing up, tossing her hands in the air. Master Yoda looked up at her quizzically.  
  
"No? Why?"  
  
"Be…. Because of Nayr." Yoda's ears perked forward comically.  
  
"Nayr? Nayr, child of Indoan Adoy?"  
  
Centara nodded.  
  
"Yes. You know her?"  
  
"No, knew her father once I did." Yoda nodded sadly. "Hate of the Jedi she holds?"  
  
"Yes, and I'm not going to become a Jedi." Yoda shook his head, and stood up, he turned away to leave. Centara kicked a stone, and it landed on the small spider creature she was watching before.  
  
"Oh!" Centara said, she picked up the stone, and the small spider was under it, hurt, fatally wounded. Yoda shook his head. He closed his eyes, his ears twitched, suddenly under Centara's squinted eyes, the spider regained its two lost legs, and crawled off again.  
  
Centara turned her attention back to Yoda.  
  
"Not all bad, Jedi are. But, not my opinion. The force is strong with you." Yoda left, leaving Centara to dwell on that thought.  
  
  
  
As two years passed, Centara got over her guardian's hatred of the Jedi, and soon agreed to Yoda's offer. With the help of other masters, they Jedi struggled to bring out the strong power Centara kept inside of her.  
  
Nayr and Mirr soon became 'known' at the casinos and bars, and Nayr, unfortunately, now owed many debts. Mirr's record, was clean.  
  
  
  
"Master Yoda?" Centara called as she walked around the temple, trying to find Master Yoda. Her dark brown cloak draped over her shoulders, her hands uneasily at her sides, her hood bounced with her hair as she walked around a corner.  
  
Yoda turned around to face her, he looked upset.  
  
"Master Yoda, I-I felt, a strong disturbance in the Force. What has happened?"  
  
Yoda frowned, and stepped aside. Centara's eyes grew wide in shock. On the floor, covered in blood, nearly severed in half was one of Centara's fellow Padawans. She shook her head.  
  
"Sith," Yoda said, though Centara knew how strongly the Jedi felt about the Sith, she could sense no fear or hate in Master Yoda's voice.  
  
"Sith? Master Yoda, aren't the Sith extinct?"  
  
"We thought… So we thought." Another one of the Masters muttered, and they walked away, going to prepare a funeral pyre.  
  
"Master Yoda, what does this mean?" Centara asked as she and Yoda walked back towards the green house of the temple.  
  
"Much it means. Many Padawans will be Jedi now, yes."  
  
Centara was silent for a few minutes.  
  
"I, I do not understand Master Yoda."  
  
"You will, Centara." He muttered, entering the green house, Centara sighed, and followed. 


	10. Cute Strangers

"Mirr!" Nayr yelled as she ran into her Wookiee friend. "GO, go! GO! GO!" Mirr decided she shouldn't ask why, she probably didn't want to know. So she took off in one direction, Nayr close behind.  
  
Soon two driods and a Dug were running out of the brush, firing at Nayr.  
  
"WOOHOO!" Nayr yelled, and turned to shoot back. Mirr grabbed Nayr's shoulder, and began to drag her friend backwards.  
  
"MIRRWELL!"  
  
"Nayr, you've gone to far this time."  
  
"Yeah, yeah.." Nayr said as she and her friend took cover under a ship. "Wait a minute. Mirr, why the hell is a ship all the way out here?"  
  
At that moment, two cloaked figures walked out of the ship, and looked over at the driods and the Dug.  
  
"There is nothing here of any interest." One of them said.  
  
"There is nothing here of our interest," The dug said to the driods.  
  
"You will leave us in peace."  
  
"We'll leave you in peace." They turned and left.  
  
"Jedi," Nayr said harshly. Mirr looked over at her friend, Nayr stood.  
  
"Thanks, but we could've handled that ourselves ya know."  
  
The Jedi removed their hoods. The one on the right was an older, wiser looking Jedi. His hair was grayish, and long, a bit below his shoulders. His beard and mustache looked scratchy.  
  
Nayr turned her gaze to the other Jedi. This one was younger, in Nayr's age range. Nayr was slightly taken aback, though he seemed sensible and respectable, Nayr could not believe he was a Jedi. Perhaps he was a Padawan, yes, that's it, a Padawan. His hair was short, all but a long brown braid on his right side that hung over his shoulders. It looked as if he had a few longer bits tied up in the back as well.  
  
Nayr squinted her eyes.  
  
"Yes, I am sure you could have." The older Jedi said. "Are you locals around here? Could you show us to the city, Theed?"  
  
"No," Nayr replied harshly. "Look, thanks, but no thanks." Nayr turned and left. Mirr rolled her eyes and grunted something indistinct.  
  
Nayr stopped abruptly.  
  
"You good for nothing Wookiee, get over here." Mirr looked over at the Jedi and turned, following Nayr.  
  
"Master, what was that all about?"  
  
"I do not know Obi-Wan, but, as of now, our main concern is the Temple. Come." Qui-gon turned and walked back into the ship. Obi-Wan looked after the strangers, and soon followed his master. 


	11. Bar Fight

Centara smiled as she walked down the hallway, she was very excited, today was the day she and Master Yoda had been awaiting.  
  
A well-known Jedi Master by the name of Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan were going to be at the Temple today.  
  
"Ah, Centara, there you are." One of the Temple astromech driods beeped as it neared Centara. "Master Yoda is waiting for you, outside. Master Qui-Gon is here."  
  
"Very good, thank you."  
  
Centara took off towards the Jedi masters, and the driod took off in its own direction.  
  
"- Yes, but it's hazardous, Master Yoda."  
  
Centara walked outside. Master Yoda was standing on the top step, while two other Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn, and his Padawan, were on the steps below him. They were almost at eye level with the short Jedi Master. Yoda turned to Centara.  
  
"Ah, hmm. Master Qui-Gon, Centara." Joda said simply, pointing to Centara, who bowed her head in respect, Qui-Gon smiled slightly, his young Padawan nodded to Centara.  
  
"Trouble the Sith may be, Qui-Gon Jinn, but time, we have not. Come, discuss this inside we shall." Master Yoda turned inside, Qui-Gon, Centara and the Padawan close behind.  
  
"Master," The young Padawan said, Qui-Gon Jinn turned around, Centara listened without stopping. "Would you mind if I stayed here? There's something about this place that… I don't understand."  
  
"Yes Obi-Wan, but do not travel far, I may need you soon."  
  
"Yes Master." The Padawan turned and left.  
  
Obi-Wan, Centara thought, I'll have to remember that.  
  
  
  
Obi-Wan walked down the streets of the strange city. His thoughts wondering. That stranger that he and Qui-Gon had helped, her and her Wookiee friend, Obi-Wan had felt something strange, it had been bothering him. She reminded him of someone, someone he met a long time ago. He just couldn't place her, that fiery orange hair, something about it. He sighed and walked into a Casino.  
  
The Casino was dimly lit, a circular bar stood in the middle, surrounded by bar stools, and eager people. Crap Games had been set up, as well as Saboc games and other favorites of Smugglers.  
  
Surrounding the outer rim of the Casino were booths, mostly seating two, sometimes three. As Obi-Wan scanned the tables, he happened to see them. The two Strangers.  
  
The human was banging her head on the table, while the Wookiee was rolling her eyes, muttering something to her companion. The girl looked up, and happened to catch Obi-Wan's gaze. She scowled, and stood. The Wookiee watched her, curious.  
  
"Come on Mirr, let's go."  
  
"But, we just got here!"  
  
"Now Mirr."  
  
The two left, and Obi-Wan walked towards the bar.  
  
"What is your order?" A driod at the bar asked Obi-Wan. He sighed, and turned away, walking out of the Casino. The bartender watched him for a moment, then turned to an impatient Hutt.  
  
  
  
"Nayr, what is wrong with you!" Mirr asked as they walked out of the bar. The Wookiee stopped.  
  
"That Jedi, he's following us!"  
  
"What if it was just a coincidence!?"  
  
"It wasn't."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"I don't…but I do… just, arg! Come on."  
  
"YOU! Wait!" Nayr and Mirr turned around as one of Hantha's henchmen ran out of the Casino.  
  
"Oh, come on! Can this day get any worse!" Nayr yelled as she ran… straight into another henchman. "Obviously it can…"  
  
He raised his fist, and hit Nayr over the head with it.  
  
  
  
Obi-Wan sauntered out of the Casino, only to see the strange girl and the Wookiee, surrounded by men. The girl was barely standing, she looked dizzy, and her friend was roaring. All at once, the girl leapt onto the back of one of the men, and kicked two others in a split based move as a third hit her hard in the back. She gasped and fell over.  
  
The Wookiee punched two men, and tripped another.  
  
"Hey!" Obi-Wan called, and ran forward, igniting his Lightsaber.  
  
"Look, it's Jedi."  
  
"Run for it!"  
  
The men scattered, leaving the girl on her side, breathing heavily, and the Wookiee hunched over, paws on her knees.  
  
"What was that all about?" Obi-Wan asked as he neared them, placing his Lightsaber back on his belt.  
  
"Nothing." The girl said harshly, struggling to her feet. She took a deep breath, groaned, and toppled over into the Wookiee's arm.  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head.  
  
"A bit foolish, isn't she?"  
  
"Yeah well, Nayr's got spirit, I'll give her that." Mirr muttered, picking the girl up. Obi-Wan wondered over.  
  
"She seems to have something against everyone."  
  
"No, just the Jedi."  
  
"The Jedi?"  
  
"Uhhuh.."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Long story."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Hey, would you happen to know of any place I can take her? She's really out of it this time. She normally manages to stay standing until the attackers come back."  
  
"Yeah, sure.. Follow me." Obi-Wan took off at a slow pace towards the Temple, Mirr following, caring Nayr. Obi-Wan decided not to ask how many times this had happened before, since the Wookiee seemed awfully familiar with the entire process.  
  
Nayr, Obi-Wan thought, why does that name sound familiar? This rebel was vaguely familiar to the Padawan, he just couldn't place it, and it drove him crazy. 


	12. History

"Master?" Obi-Wan asked as he, Mirr and Nayr entered the Temple. Obi-Wan knew the healers here could help her.  
  
They rounded a corner, and nearly walked into Master Qui-Gon and Master Yoda. They turned to look at them.  
  
"Yes Obi-Wan?"  
  
"Who is this?" Master Yoda asked, pointing to Mirr and Nayr.  
  
"Uh, does it matter?"  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at Mirr.  
  
"This is Mirrewell and Nayr," Master Yoda's ears lifted and Qui-Gon Jinn raised his eyebrows. "She's in need of the healers, master."  
  
"Hmm, all right. This way." Qui-Gon Jinn lead the three towards the healer's section of the temple.  
  
Master Yoda shook his head, and muttered something under his breath with a 'humph', and turned into a separate room.  
  
"Master, what have you decided to do about the Sith?" Obi-Wan asked eagerly as he followed his Master.  
  
"Well, as far as Master Yoda can tell, the Sith here is the apprentice, we have not yet encountered the Master."  
  
"That's not good."  
  
"No, it isn't. Put her here." Qui-Gon Jinn said, pointing to a bed. "I shall go get the healers."  
  
"Yes Master." Obi-Wan said respectfully.  
  
Mirr sat down.  
  
"Obi-Wan?"  
  
Obi-Wan turned around to see Master Yoda.  
  
"Yes Master Yoda?"  
  
"We would like to speak with Mirrwell please." Another Jedi Master said.  
  
Obi-Wan turned to look at Mirr, she grunted, and stood up, giving him a glance, and walked out to talk with Master Yoda.  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at Nayr, he walked over, and sat on the floor beside her.  
  
"Nayr", he mumbled. "Where have I heard that name?"  
  
"She is Indoan-Adoy's child." Obi-Wan turned around at the sound of Qui- Gon's voice. "I knew the name as well."  
  
"How has she managed to stay hidden all this time?"  
  
"I do not know."  
  
"If she is like her father, we could have made a great Jedi out of -"  
  
"No!" Nayr said, sitting up quickly. "You won't." She got out of the bed, and left the room, passing Mirr talking with a small green alien, Master Yoda, she remembered him.  
  
As she passed, she gave Mirr a glance. Mirr and Yoda watched her descend the hallway. Mirr sighed, and left after her.  
  
Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi walked up behind Master Yoda.  
  
"What did she say?" Qui-Gon asked.  
  
"Much, very much. Come, tell you I shall." They turned and talked as they walked down the hallway. 


	13. Short

The next day, Yoda was walking around the temple impatiently.  
  
"Where is Centara…" He muttered.  
  
"I am here Master Yoda,"  
  
"Come Centara, much to tell you we have." Yoda turned and Centara followed. 


	14. Fim

"Mirr, I - I don't know what it is. I just know something's not right. Since when do the Palace guards let people like Hantha the Hutt run the streets?"  
  
Nayr muttered as she and Mirr walked down the street the next day.  
  
"Come on."  
  
"What now?" Mirr mumbled.  
  
"We're going to see Fim, he might know something."  
  
Mirr sighed, she didn't agree with this, she hardly ever agreed with Nayr's plans, but she wasn't in the mood to argue.  
  
  
  
Nayr stormed down the hallway, furious. Slamming the door behind her. Turning down a hallway, her long braid of orange hair slipped from her cloak as she left the building. Looking around Theed didn't calm her nerves at all. Nayr slammed the door behind her as she walked into the city. Mirr approached her slowly, she looked angry.  
  
"Did you talk with Fim?"  
  
"No Mir, I didn't. The guard at the door said to forget it, Fim wasn't in."  
  
"And about Hantha?"  
  
"Leave it to the Jedi he said, they'll take care of it he said. HA!" The Wookiee shook her head, and grunted something. Nayr nodded.  
  
"Leave it to the Jedi'. Ha! I'll leave it to the Jedi..." Nayr kept mumbling as she and Mirr went to their room.  
  
Mirr gave Nayr a strange look as the rebel tossed the old cloak onto the bed, and picked up her blaster. The Wookiee grunted a question as Nayr holstered her blaster.  
  
"Yeah you missed something. I told you, something isn't right." Nayr stormed out of the room leaving the Wookiee bewildered and confused.  
  
Mirr caught up with Nayr as she stormed down the streets of Naboo.  
  
"I'm telling you they have good reason to trust only in the Jedi! " The Wookiee mumbled. Nayr stopped suddenly, and looked up at her friend.  
  
"Now your on their side hum? Figures! Everyone is with the Jedi! Well you know what, I'm not." Nayr pointed at the Wookiee accusingly, and stormed off.  
  
"So what if they've treated you bad in the past. These new Jedi might be promising."  
  
Nayr didn't even turn to look at her friend. Nayr and Mirr created quite a scene in the streets of Theed.  
  
The Wookiee always at least five feet behind her friend would say something, then Nayr, letting her temper get the best of her, would shout at her friend, point, poke, scream, then take off at a fast pace again. Mirr frowned, and stopped. "You are starting to frighten me, Nayr. Never in the years we've been friends have you acted like this. What's wrong?" Nayr skidded to a halt.  
  
"What's wrong? WHAT'S WRONG! I'll tell you what's wrong! I can't do anything to help this forsaken planet because of the JEDI! Everyone loves the Jedi! Well I DON'T! They retreat to simple hand waves and lighted swords. I could do twice the damage of five JEDI!" Nayr gave a scowl to a passing individual. She put her arms around the young child with her, and scooted away.  
  
"Nayr, now you're talking non-sense. You know the Jedi are talented. They could-"  
  
"I don't care what they could and couldn't do Mirr! I'm tired of it!" Nayr glared at the palace. "She's on their side isn't she, the queen I mean."  
  
Mirr frowned, she couldn't believe how Nayr was acting.  
  
"Now you are really starting to scare me Nayr. Since when do you talk about the sovereign that way? What if she was to walk by and hear you? She could chop off your head! Please, just calm down." Nayr laughed.  
  
"Calm down!? I'm perfectly calm my tall, furry friend. Just a little.. upset." Nayr frowned, and sighed. "Ah what the heck, I should just give up."  
  
Nayr sat down on the sidewalk, Mirr looked around anxiously then sat down beside her friend.  
  
"Nayr? Still feeling uneasy?" Mirr asked kindly.  
  
"I'm telling you Mirr," Nayr said, running her hand over her braided and bunned up hair of orange. "Something just isn't right, whether the Jedi think so or not." She folded her hands in her lap.  
  
Mirr and Nayr stood back up, and Nayr changed direction, heading back towards the place they were staying.  
  
"Where are you going now?" Mirr mumbled, catching up to her friend.  
  
"Back to the place, I forgot a few things.." Mirr groaned, and followed her friend through the busy streets. 


	15. Jedi Advancements

Centara left the Jedi temple exhausted, but satisfied. She had done well on the exercises Master Yoda had told her to do. She walked around Theed, hurrying to the abandoned building where she had lived in hiding ever since her siblings had turned to the Dark Side and she'd lost her guardian.  
  
  
  
A few hours later, after meeting up with master Yoda for more lessons, Centara was in a cave that she knew nothing about, carrying only her lightsaber. Master Yoda had told her to enter. She heard a noise behind her and whirled around. She saw a dark form. Her first instinct was to ignite her lightsaber, but instead, in peace, she asked, "Who are you? What do you want?" The dark form remained quiet.  
  
"Then I leave you in peace." Centara said, realizing that whoever/whatever it was, did not want to fight. She left the cave. When she walked out, Master Yoda told her to remove her apprentice cloak. As she did so, she accepted a knight's cloak in return. Her heart raced with excitement, she turned and bowed respectfully to Master Yoda. 


	16. Beginings Of A War

Nayr and Mirr walked out of their place, Nayr with two blasters, one on her hip, one on her leg, they walked towards the casino.  
  
They turned their heads as four Jedi traveled towards the palace.. Wait… That last Jedi was in a darker robe.  
  
Nayr turned away, but found herself looking back over her shoulder.  
  
Nayr opened her mouth to warn the Jedi, when she was hit from the side with a blaster on stun. Mirr roared.  
  
She looked at the Jedi, had they shot at Nayr? She roared to catch the Jedi's attention.  
  
Luckily, someone inside the palace, one of the queen's bodyguards, saw Nayr fall, and rushed outside, as if it had something to do with the queen's safety.  
  
He ran outside, and indicated to a back entrance. He didn't want to upset a Wookiee.  
  
Mirr looked over at the guard, and picked up Nayr, following the guard to the back entrance.  
  
The guard opened the entrance with a security pad. He opened the door and closed it carefully behind him. The back entrance was the entrance for body guards and nonofficial visitors.  
  
"You can put her in here." The guard told Mirr, as she rushed off to inform them in the throne room.  
  
  
  
Sache was just leaving on a request from the Queen, she bumped into Darr, the guard who brought in Nayr.  
  
"I think we might have someone who saw one of the people who wants to attack the Queen, she was shot but is only stunned."  
  
"I'll tell her." Sache whispered as she picked up several fighter pistols from a wall unit.  
  
"Yes, Sache?" Amidala asked when the young girl hadn't returned to her seat.  
  
"One of your security guards has someone who was attacked by someone who is believed to be trying to harm you, she's downstairs."  
  
"Oh?" Amidala questioned, not blinking an eye. "Bring her here."  
  
"You highness," Sache continued, "she was stunned by the pistol of the retreating enemy."  
  
"Then wait with her." Amidala commanded. "Report to me when she is awake." Sache bowed and left the throne room.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, Mirr took Nayr into the room the guard had pointed out. Setting Nayr on a table, she sat down and folded her paws behind her head to wait for the stun gun to wear off.  
  
  
  
Centara rushed into the Palace, and into the Throne room. Qui-Gon and Obi- Wan had gone a different path, hopefully to find the Sith.  
  
Centara bowed to the Queen.  
  
"A Wookiee was recently admitted into the Palace, where is the Wookiee? It is urgent!"  
  
Yane was baffled, no one just ran into the throne room like that. She blocked the way at the front entrance.  
  
"I'm sorry, but if you wish to inquire about the Queen's guests or wish an audience, you must request one. The Queen has a lot on her mind just now."  
  
Centara realized that she had probably startled the guard. She introduced herself.  
  
"I am Ieram-Centara Anja, a Jedi Knight. I am also a good friend of the girl who was brought in injured. I am very worried about her."  
  
Yane, handmaiden to Queen Amidala nodded quickly.  
  
"Your friend is downstairs with another one of the Queen's personal handmaidens. I can take you to her, follow me." Yane led the way downstairs, she nodded to Sache and the others and hurried back to attend the Queen.  
  
Centara thanked the handmaiden, and followed her down the hall.  
  
  
  
Mirr yawned, and turned to look at Nayr, who began to stir. The Rebel groaned, and rubbed the back of her head.  
  
"Remind me never to stick up for the Jedi again, ok Mirr?"  
  
At that point Sache knocked on the door.  
  
"Excuse me, but Queen Amidala wishes me to report to you. If you are feeling all right, she wishes to know what you saw. Darr reported someone who could be out to attack the Queen. And your friend is here."  
  
Nayr and Mirr startled, looked at each other. Nayr rolled her eyes.  
  
"Yeah, I'm feeling ok.. Come on in."  
  
Nayr stood up, then sat back down. Mirr looked at her with a strange glance.  
  
"Dizzy," Nayr replied as Mirr walked over to help her friend up with a chuckle.  
  
"Friend? Who is she talking about?" Nayr whispered to the Wookiee as she squared her shoulders, and stiffly walked down the hall following the handmaiden. Mirr shrugged, and stifled a yawn.  
  
"What are you going to say to the queen? I mean about what you saw..."  
  
"What I saw?" Nayr turned to the Wookiee with a questioning glance, the Wookiee shrugged, and they continued to trudge down the hall..  
  
Mirr whispered something in her ear, and Nayr laughed sarcastically.  
  
"I think not Mirr."  
  
  
  
Out in the hall, Qui-Gon had just requested to speak with the Queen, his apprentice was with him.  
  
So was the dark one, un-noticed by the Jedi, the Sith stood in the shadows.  
  
The Queen was informed of the Jedi's arrival by the Captain. With a quick nod to Sabe, she prepared to meet the Jedi. Sabe went to meet them.  
  
"The Queen is ready to see you." She told them, begging with her eyes, hoping they could help her best friend. Carefully she opened the door to the throne room.  
  
Redav pulled out her lightsaber silently, and ignited it, it hummed and a bright red glow filled the room.  
  
Qui-Gon spun, igniting his own green lightsaber and struck at the Sith.  
  
The two began to fight fiercely as Obi-wan, kept everyone back. 


	17. Sith Arrival

Somewhere in the galaxy, the Sith Infiltration cruised onward towards an unknown destination. The pilot of the ship smiled with pride, as he had carried out his last mission successfully. His red and yellow eyes gleamed with satisfaction.  
  
Maul's ship continued on through space. The Dark Side flowed strongly in him, as he contemplated his immense hatred for the Jedi. 'Soon,' he reminded himself. 'Soon, my time will come.'  
  
Darth Maul saw his destination on the viewscreen. Naboo. He growled at the sight of the peaceful planet. All the vast forests and swamps. Large cities jeweled with flowers and vegetation of all kinds. Peaceful. Beautiful. The thought made him sick.  
  
Maul engaged the cloaking device on his ship. He didn't want the stupid underling Naboo to find out that he'd returned. The thought of wringing the queen's scrawny little neck in his bare hands made him smile. He landed the ship just outside Theed. Then, after getting out, slunk through the shadows, making his way to the palace. 


	18. Battle

Eiarte was at a loss for words.. What exactly was the protocol when the Jedi guest launched into an open attack against someone?  
  
Captain Panaka didn't care about protocol, he just knew that he wanted the Queen out of harm's way.  
  
Amidala glared at the intruder, what was Naboo a battle ground? It would never be again. The scar of remembrance she wore as part of her make-up reminded her every day of the ancient past... Moving slowly she pressed a button and the main door came whizzing down.  
  
"Well...!" Was all the Captain could say to that.  
  
  
  
Nayr started to laugh as she and Mirr saw the two fighters.  
  
"This is what you get when you get two Jedi together in an enclosed space."  
  
"Nayr, bite your tongue! The queen'll have your head if your not careful!"  
  
  
  
"Who are you?" Asked Qui-Gon as he blocked another blow of the stranger's lightsaber.  
  
Centara, hearing the commotion, had come back into the room. She gasped, recognizing the Sith.  
  
"Redav!" She called, trying to stop her older sister.  
  
"You know her?" Asked Qui-Gon, still trying to stop the attacker. "Since she won't tell me who she is and what she wants, maybe you can!" He seemed more than a bit annoyed.  
  
"She is my sister." Centara answered, pulling out her lightsaber to help Qui-Gon. "As for what she wants, who can say?"  
  
"I want nothing more than to destroy the Jedi." Redav informed them.  
  
"Well, that's not going to happen…" Obi-Wan said as he joined the fight.  
  
Nayr took a step backwards as the young girl dashed into the room. Mirr gaped in surprise. Nayr quickly took notice that the young girl now wore the cloak of a Jedi, the young rebel pressed her lips together in disgust. The Wookiee turned her attention to the fighting Jedi.  
  
Nayr had to calm herself, because she had started to hyperventilate.  
  
"We've got his under control if you want to check on your friend." Qui-Gon told Centara. She stepped and turned off her lightsaber.  
  
Obi-Wan was hit over the head with the side of Redav's lightsaber, and went skidding across the floor.  
  
"Nayr! Are you all right. What happened? I heard that you were hurt." Centara said, still worried about her friend. She suddenly noticed the Wookiee. "Mirrwell,-" She felt a sudden disturbance in the Force. She stumbled, trying not to fall.  
  
Across the room, the same thing happened to Qui-Gon. At that same moment, Redav's lightsaber hit his arm, giving him a deep cut and causing him to fall backward.  
  
Redav began to come towards him, ready to make a move. "Centara, I could use your help, now. Obi-wan is in no condition to fight.." Qui-Gon said. It was the closest to panicked Centara had ever heard the Jedi. Obi-Wan leaned against the wall, trying to stand.  
  
He must have taken a harder blow then I thought, Centara pondered. "I have to go." Centara told Nayr, and hurried across the room to the help the fallen Jedi Master.  
  
The Sith, realizing that the Queen's guards would probably stop her soon, ran from the palace.  
  
Nayr took off, storming from the room to wait in the hallway. Mirr growled in her dismay, and took off after the Sith apprentice.  
  
  
  
Nayr paced back and forth. "Fine! Mirr loses the child, then she goes off and joins the Jedi. FINE!!!" Nayr crossed her arms over her chest, she just couldn't believe this new Jedi was the same young girl she and Mirr had once mentored over. Had she taught her nothing?  
  
  
  
Queen Amidala looked at the circus going on outside and shook her head. Eiarte just looked at her mistress in complete shock.  
  
"Absolutely no sense of protocol!" She told the Queen.  
  
Amidala gave a tense smile. "I suppose when you're saving planets, and the Republic, the rules don't apply to you. Sabe, have you made any connections?" She asked.  
  
"None your Highness," Sabe answered. "But there is no sign of invasion..."  
  
  
  
"What was that?" Centara asked Qui-Gon, referring to the disturbance in the Force that they had both felt.  
  
"I don't know, but whatever it was, it wasn't good." He answered, clearly disturbed.  
  
"Do you think that it was Dark Side powers or a disaster?" She responded.  
  
"I don't know." He said. "But we will find out. Now, we must tend to Obi- Wan."  
  
Centara nodded, the two approached the downed apprentice.  
  
"Are you all right?" Qui-Gon asked, helping him up.  
  
"Yes, just a little dizzy."  
  
  
  
Nayr muttered something under her breath. Mirr turned to face her with a look of 'how could you?'  
  
"Stay out of trouble." Qui-Gon told Centara as he left to get a bandage for his arm, and have someone look over Obi-wan.  
  
Centara smiled and walked over to Nayr and Mirrwell.  
  
Mirr looked up as Centara walked over, she gave the young Jedi a furry smile. Nayr only mumbled under her breath again.  
  
"It's good to see your, Nayr." Centara said to her former guardian. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Yeah, fine… just peachy.." Nayr said, looking at the floor grimly.  
  
"What's wrong?" Centara said, worried.  
  
"Oooh, nothing's wrong."  
  
"Lighten up Nayr, the child is trying to talk to you." Mirr growled as Nayr flashed her a false smile.  
  
"Yes, please lighten up and tell me what's wrong." Centara said.  
  
Nayr shook her head, and some loose pieces of hair fell into her face. Mirr took Centara aside.  
  
"Nayr's just upset that you've become a Jedi. You know.. She still has a .... 'Problem' with the Jedi."  
  
The big Wookiee rolled her eyes slightly.  
  
  
  
The Queen nodded to Sabe, and the handmaiden knew to check and see if the furious battle was completed. The Queen's audience gown and make-up made her a brilliant figure indeed. Sabe peeked out, and questioned the first person she saw.  
  
"Has it finished?" She asked simply.  
  
Sabe pressed a button and the whole security unit came back up. Amidala wanted to know exactly why that had happened in the Naboo palace, and what exactly the Jedi were going to do about it.  
  
  
  
Redav walked out of the palace, and seeing the Sith land walked over to him. Maul saw the figure approaching him. Instinctively, he rested his hand on his lightsaber. His eyes narrowed. He sensed the presence of the Dark Side in this one. However, he could not be sure.  
  
"Who are you?" He growled.  
  
"Redav, Apprentice of the Dark Side." She answered, pulling back the hood of her cloak. "Who are you?" She could tell the person with whom she was speaking was not a Jedi, or anyone else who would seek to destroy her. If she had not been sure, she would not have revealed her identity so quickly.  
  
Maul narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Apprentice to the Dark Side, eh?" He said. "What a coincidence." He removed his hood from his bald head, revealing his array of crowning horns. "I am Darth Maul, Sith Lord, and apprentice of Darth Sidious."  
  
"Indeed, it is a strange coincidence." Redav said. "What is your reason for being on this pathetic planet. I, on orders, am following two Jedi and a Padawan, bringing me here."  
  
"I'm on my own, as of right now," Maul replied. "I'm...a bit angry with everything on this world. Especially that twit of a ruler."  
  
"Which ruler would that be?" Redav asked in response. "The Supreme Chancellor of the Republic?" She said the name mockingly.  
  
Maul laughed. "Yes, that is one. However, this planet has...bad memories. I'd like to see it crumble." He lowered his head. "I got my first...defeat here."  
  
"I am sorry to hear that. I am always sorry to see a Sith defeated." She paused, thinking. "Was your...defeater a Jedi. If I had to be defeated, I would rather be defeated by trained Jedi Master than a pathetic guard. Not that Jedi aren't pathetic."  
  
Maul clenched his fist. "Yes," he said, darkly. "Two, as a matter of fact. Their names were Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi." He spat their names out like a curse. How could he have been defeated by such vermin? He had trained for decades! His chance...his time to glorify himself had been thrown out the window by a mere Padawan!  
  
"The Jedi was named Qui-Gon Jin?" She asked, hating the name as she said it. "He's one of the two Jedi that led me to this helpless planet. We recently fought, right in front of that pathetic Queen. He fell during the momentary disturbance in the Force, and I would have killed him, but another Jedi showed up and gave him time to regain his balance."  
  
  
  
Astra Accendere, a Jedi knight traveling through Theed, walked slowly, trying to get a good look around.  
  
"I don't like this planet," she thought to herself. Just then she saw two people in the distance. She sensed that they were not up to any good and crept quietly closer. As she approached, she saw that one was quite tall and had black and red stripes all over his face. Horns crowned his head. Both strangers had lightsabers.  
  
"Sith," Astra realized with alarm. She walked close enough so that she could hear what they were saying.  
  
  
  
"What?!?" Maul flared. "Qui-Gon Jinn, here? Where is he? Take me there!"  
  
"He was in the palace when I left, and we'll never get in the there." Redav paused. She focused her slightly far-sighted eyes in the distance. She began to whisper. "Look." She said, signaling the Sith to look in the distance.  
  
Maul directed his attention to where she pointed. He growled. "We're being watched."  
  
  
  
"Oh no," Astra thought. Then, to make matters worse, she saw the Sith looking her way. She shrank back, hoping not to be noticed. "Perfect, just perfect" she thought.  
  
  
  
Nayr stood up, lifting her head to give her Wookiee friend a glare. Her eyes were already red. She took a breath, and stormed out of the palace.  
  
"Nayr!" Mirr shouted down the hall as Nayr picked up speed, and dashed away.  
  
  
  
"AAAAaaaarrrgh!" Nayr slammed her fist into the side of the palace, furious, she slid down to a sitting position, and buried her face in her hands.  
  
  
  
Centara looked up at Mirr. "Is she all right?"  
  
Centara said, worried about her friend, at least, she hoped they were still friends.  
  
"She is just having trouble accepting that you are no longer a Padawan, but a Jedi." The Wookiee smiled kindly at the young girl. "Congratulations, this must be quite an accomplishment."  
  
Mirr grinned. She didn't understand Nayr, probably wouldn't ever understand her. Even though she was young for a Wookiee, she was still much, much older than Nayr. Wiser too it seemed.  
  
"Thank you," Centara said. "What's wrong with being a Jedi Anyway?"  
  
"Nothing. Unless you're her." The Wookiee sighed. "She's had some bad Experiences that..... well, let's just say they link to the Jedi. And, didn't the queen want to see Qui.... Uh.... Your master about the Trade something or other?" The young Wookiee found herself stumbling over the Jedi's name.  
  
"Qui-Gon." She said, as the Wookiee gave up pronouncing the Jedi's name. "And he's not my master, never was. I was taught by Master Yoda himself, something few can say. As for the Queen.." She shrugged. "I think she was more worried about my sister causing trouble than the Trade Federation, if that was what she was worried about."  
  
  
  
Nayr stormed down the stairs of the palace, and sat down, putting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands. She groaned in aggravation, and leaned back, supporting herself with her elbows now on the stair behind her.  
  
"I wish someone would just.... oooh.... slice me in half..." She spat a few vulgar words, then closed her eyes.  
  
  
  
Qui-Gon walked out of the Palace, his right hand on his left upper arm, trying to stoop the bleeding. He began walking toward his ship, when he sensed that the Force was present. Obi-Wan had gone back into the Palace. He looked around, using his mind as well as his eyes. He saw two figures and a single Jedi. A young female by the look, and feel of it.  
  
"Oh boy," he thought. "There will be trouble here." Knowing that he could not stop the situation, and could not help with his hurt arm, he continued toward his ship.  
  
  
  
Maul jerked at the noise. He started to take off towards it, but then, a familiar feeling overswept him. Flashing his fiery eyes everywhere at once, he spotted him. He laughed to himself. He was weak and hurt. Qui- Gon Jinn. "Hello, old friend," he muttered to himself. He looked towards Redav. "See what made that noise," he said. "I'm going after someone." He then started off towards Qui-Gon.  
  
  
  
"Oh, this just keeps getting better and better" Astra thought to her self as the tattooed Sith came her way.  
  
"Another Jedi?" She thought as she noticed Qui-Gon. Then she noticed his arm. "Oh god" she said out loud and raced toward him, beating the Sith easily.  
  
Obi-Wan rushed out of the Palace upon seeing the two Sith, and another Jedi, he stood next to Qui-Gon, and looked over at the approaching Jedi.  
  
"Qui-Gon, you're in no condition to fight.." Obi-Wan muttered.  
  
"I'll be okay in a moment" Qui-Gon said. He ripped a strip of cloth off the bottom of is cloak and wrapped it tightly around his injured arm.  
  
"There." He said and turned around to face the Sith.  
  
"But, that was just injured. You can't fight now." Astra said. "Your Padawan and I can deal with the Sith."  
  
"Normally, I'm sure that you could." He sighed. "But look." He indicated Redav, as Obi-Wan Ignited his own Lightsaber. "Another Sith is coming. It would be very difficult for you to defeat them. Especially because of the double-bladed lightsabers." He took out his green lightsaber. "No, we will fight them together." He continued, sounding as wise as he was.  
  
Darth Maul grinned insanely. This was the absolute perfect situation. Now he could definitely prove himself. He looked at the Jedi trio.  
  
"Numbers won't do any good, Jedi," he said. "It didn't last time. And I assure you, one more won't matter." He whipped out his double-bladed lightsaber, which he repaired a long time ago.  
  
Astra ignited her lightsaber, which was a royal indigo and turned to face the Sith.  
  
  
  
Nayr lifted her head, hearing talking and shouting. She saw three Jedi... and a hooded figure. She silently slipped her hand towards her holster, good she still had her blaster. She was too far to get a good shooting distance though, she slowly stood up, and walked at an angle towards some shadowy bushes to cover until she got a clear shot.  
  
She frowned, and as she walked down, tried to decide who to shoot, the Sith, or the Jedi.  
  
  
  
Redav, walking over to join the fight, saw the girl slip into the bushes. She changed her course, and began walking towards the girl. Well, the Rebel, she couldn't be much younger than Redav. She pulled out and ignited her lightsaber.  
  
Nayr caught her breath as she heard a lightsaber closer to her then she'd thought, she brought her blaster up to shoulder height, and prepared to jump out at the Sith.  
  
Redav, anticipating the move, swung her lightsaber, but did not try to kill. Instead, she hit the blaster, breaking it. She noticed the cloak the rebel was wearing, but somehow knew that it was not a Jedi, she sensed to much hatred.  
  
This must be the rebel that Lord Sidious wanted!  
  
Nayr shouted a rather crude word, and leapt out of the bush, sliding under the Sith, and pulling the cloak as she cut her knees on the ground. She quickly jumped to her feet, yanked the cloak once really hard, then stepped back to catch her breath and rub her raw and bloody knees.  
  
She lifted her head after rubbing her sore knees, and reached around her pockets, her cloak for anything that might serve as a weapon.... Not that it would do any good against the double-sided saber of the Sith.  
  
  
  
Obi-Wan understood what Qui-Gon was saying, the Sith were powerful, and there really was little hope for the three Jedi. Though he didn't lower his guard.  
  
He was then distracted by Nayr's outburst, leaving him vulnerable to attack.  
  
"Keep your guard up." Qui-Gon said, noticing, if not feeling as well, his Padawan's vulnerability. 'Strange,' he thought. 'Obi-Wan has never let his guard down like that before.'  
  
  
  
Redav stumbled, but quickly regained her balance. Using the Force, she lifted a large branch up behind the girl's head and hit her with it. Hard. Very hard.  
  
Nayr gasped, and toppled backwards, hit over the head with such a force she was knocked out cold.  
  
  
  
Obi-Wan flinched, and looked over at Darth Maul. 'No time for the Rebel,' He said to himself, wrapping his hands tighter around his lightsaber.  
  
Qui-Gon couldn't help feeling that he, Astra, and his Padawan were gravely outdone.  
  
Maul extended both ends of his lethal weapon.  
  
"Oh, don't flatter yourself," he said. "I've grown in power since our last meeting." He looked around at the other scuffle going on. His attention returned to his own. He glared at the Jedi with an intense anger burning within. Not wasting one word, he leapt at them, spinning and twirling his weapon with so much skill that it only seemed a bright red blur around his dark robes.  
  
  
  
Mirr, feeling as though something strangely terrible had happened, sauntered over to the window to see what was wrong. The large Wookiee's jaw slung open as she saw her life-long companion knocked down by a Sith.  
  
"Centara," She shouted, "Stay here!" Then with all her Wookiee..... intelligence, jumped out the window, crashing to the stairs below, tumbling, regaining her footing, and launching herself down the stairs to join the fight.  
  
"Hey-" Centara started to protest that, as a Jedi, she could take care of herself. But she was cut off as the..... brilliant Wookiee jumped out of the window.  
  
  
  
Redav seeing the falling Wookiee, just stared. She had seen many desperate measures to rescue friends, but this was the most................. insane.  
  
"What a brilliant creature." She thought sarcastically.  
  
  
  
In her dream like state, Nayr stirred awake in the white room of the Jedi temple of Coruscant.  
  
"Wha-" She muttered breathlessly, her breath coming out in short, visible gasps. She wrapped the cloak tightly around herself as the wind died down, and the cool set in.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" She turned her head quickly, and nearly fainted at what she saw..... A young girl with bright orange hair stood screaming over a dead body.... As she turned away, she heard the footsteps of the soon dead Jedi master. She turned back to watch as the young girl, in a mad dash, grabbed her father's blaster and took off down the hall towards the Jedi.  
  
She was so naïve! Why didn't she just stay there? No, she couldn't, she had to get the murderer, she had to!  
  
"NO!" Nayr screamed turning away from the vision. "STOP!" She sat down, but turned her gaze as she heard a gasp, the master's dark voice, and the sizzle and burn of the scar. She stood up, furious, and dashed towards her father's body.  
  
"Oh...oh..noo.." Nayr cried, her father, was still breathing. He turned his gaze to her.  
  
"Nayr, my darling, why didn't you just sit here? You could have stopped this, you could have stayed with me, and I wouldn't have died."  
  
Nayr's head turned as she stirred.  
  
  
  
Back with the Sith and the Jedi, Astra let her instincts and reflexes take over and swung around to block the Sith's blows. She let the force flow through her and take over her actions.  
  
Obi-Wan blocked a few hits as well, hearing the Wookiee let out a furious roar as she continued her run down the steps.  
  
Maul jerked up for a split second to see the Wookiee running down the steps. He laughed to himself. "They'll get anything to fight their battles for them," he thought.  
  
Obi-Wan fought back with all his might. He couldn't be distracted in the least... the Sith was right, he had grown stronger. Obi-Wan twisted around Darth Maul while he was distracted by another Jedi and put him in a headlock that he knew would last only a few seconds.  
  
"What is it exactly that you want?" He demanded from the Sith Lord.  
  
Maul wrenched out of the young Jedi's grasp. He looked at him with an intense fire in his eyes.  
  
"Revenge," he said. He then sent a strong backhand at Obi-Wan that knocked him to the ground.  
  
Obi-Wan toppled backwards, and hit the ground, his lightsaber falling from his grasp. This was the second time today he'd been on the ground during a fight. What was his problem?  
  
The mad Wookiee ran right up to the Sith Redav, her face painted with anger. She huffed out a hot breath, angry as all Naboo.  
  
Maul shook his head, seeing the Wookiee would cause trouble for Redav, and sent the creature flying back into the wall of the Palace.  
  
Since Astra and Obi-Wan were not having too much trouble with the Sith, Qui- Gon ran over to help the stranger the Sith had knocked out. He knew that with his injured arm, who would not be of any help against Darth Maul, his Padawan and Astra could take care of themselves. He was not sure that the girl could.  
  
Redav, seeing the Jedi approaching, knew that she did not have much time to do what she planned to do. She lifted the girl up and slung her over her shoulder. She left quickly, using the Force to stop Qui-Gon from coming any closer.  
  
  
  
Mirr's mouth dropped open, and she stood up, turning her head quickly she saw the Sith make off with Nayr. She roared, one of the loudest, longest roars she could muster, before having to sit down again from dizziness.  
  
  
  
Qui-Gon ran after the Sith and pulled out his lightsaber. Redav, sensing him coming, again put the wall back in front of him.  
  
Qui-Gon groaned in annoyance.  
  
  
  
Centara, seeing her evil sister escaping with her friend, was worried. Nayr might be mad at her, but that didn't mean Centara wasn't worried. And even if she hadn't cared so much, she owed Nayr. She followed the Wookiee out the window except she used the Force to keep her fall slow. She landed softly and began to run toward the Sith.  
  
  
  
Redav was becoming tired. Her wall was weakening. She saw the second Jedi coming.  
  
"Great." She thought, "The wall held off the injured old Jedi, but Centara is a different story. She is stronger in the Force than he is. I can sense it. She may push right through." At that moment, she reached her ship. She threw her captive on board and climbed in.  
  
Mirr, now seeing Redav run to her ship, let out a tremendous roar,  
  
and rushed towards the ship of the Sith, falling to her furry knees ten feet away from the ship, dizzy. She growled, and struggled to her feet.  
  
She wouldn't, no she couldn't let the Sith take Nayr. She growled, and took a deep breath, trying again to stand.  
  
Mirr stood up, finally, and waved her furry paw in the Sith's direction menacingly.  
  
Redav shut the door, and started up the engines.  
  
Mirr began to shout and swear in her Wookiee tongue. Nearly jumping up and down with anger. Not caring who saw her, or what they thought.  
  
  
  
Maul kept on fighting, ignoring the other events taking place.  
  
Obi-Wan managed to stand, and blocked a hit.  
  
"Revenge? Is that all you Sith's care about?" He asked bitterly.  
  
Maul laughed.  
  
"And domination!" He said. "You pitiful Jedi! You never knew what awesome power the Force has! Power denied is power wasted!" He swung his lightsaber fiercely at the young man.  
  
Obi-Wan was shocked at the power the Sith used, and also at the anger that rippled around Darth maul.  
  
Their lightsabers met, and Obi-Wan groaned as he was slowly forced to the ground. His arms began to ache, but he knew letting up even a slight bit would give the Sith a death blow. Obi-Wan tried to concentrate on the force to help him, but he couldn't, he was too pre-occupied, but he did not know what about…  
  
  
  
Mirr punched the ship over and over, leaving huge dents in its sides.  
  
"That'll teach you to take my friend!" The Wookiee thought bitterly, and slammed her fist into the ship's side.  
  
Mirr roared in her Wookiee tongue, rather quickly not caring if anyone understood her.  
  
"Someone had better go help the boy, the one with the braid. He looks like he's getting the tar beat out of him. I'm staying here and getting Nayr back."  
  
Mirr took off to the back of the ship, and began to claw away at the engine.  
  
"Qui-Gon." Cenatara called. "Your apprentice is in trouble."  
  
Qui-Gon whirled around and ran to help his Padawan, forgetting about his injured arm.  
  
Mirr pounded her fist again into the ship, but hit a torn piece of metal instead. She pulled back with a roar. A roar mixed of pain and frustration. The Wookiee took a few steps back, cradling her torn arm. She roared again in the direction of the cockpit of the ship, knowing that she could do no more.  
  
  
  
Obi-Wan was now on his knees, his lightsaber bent up against one side of the Sith's, his arms ached, and shook slightly, but he couldn't give up.  
  
Astra stood aside, knowing that any hit to the Sith could prove fatal to Obi-Wan.  
  
"The Jedi are not Pathetic, it's the Sith that are Pathetic." She called.  
  
"HA!" Maul scoffed. "Then how was it that I was able to almost kill the great Qui-Gon Jinn? Qui-Gon Jinn, one of the most respected and loved men of the Jedi Order? Yeah, Right! He was to be just another name on my list of victims! Just as you all are, very soon!"  
  
"You have more confidence then you should" Astra said. "It could get you into trouble sometime."  
  
  
  
Redav, fed up with the Wookiee pounding on her ship and delaying takeoff, pulled out her lightsaber, opened a very small hatch, and waved it in the Wookiee's face.  
  
Redav knew she'd never get away now, she looked over at the Rebel.  
  
"It'll just have to wait." She muttered, and left the ship using a secret back entrance, leaving the Rebel unconscious in the ship.  
  
  
  
Qui-Gon ran to Obi-Wan's aide, and lifted his lightsaber just as the young Padawan fell backwards, exhausted.  
  
Qui-Gon struck at Maul as the Sith turned.  
  
The two battled fiercely, as Obi-Wan, now on his back, tried to regain his strength.  
  
In the end, Maul took off.  
  
Qui-Gon ran over to Obi-Wan, and knelt by his Padawan.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
"Yes master, just worn out." Qui-Gon and Astra helped Obi-Wan to his feet, and the three walked over towards the other group.  
  
The Wookiee grumbled something to Centara, and pulled open the door of the ship, walking in, and disappearing.  
  
"What did she say?" Astra asked, walking up beside the others.  
  
Obi-Wan frowned slightly, Qui-Gon rubbed his sore arm.  
  
Centara walked out of the ship, looking a bit downcast, Mirr followed, carrying the still unconscious Nayr.  
  
"She got away," Centara sighed.  
  
"How?" Astra said.  
  
"I don't know, a back door maybe."  
  
Astra pointed to Nayr.  
  
"I take it this is not the first time she's been out? The Wookiee seems surprised very little. Should we get her some help?"  
  
"Yes," The Jedi all turned as Master Yoda walked up behind them. "The Jedi temple take her we will. Many questions to ask her have I. Come." The Jedi looked at one another, Mirr groaned, and soon they were all following Master Yoda to the Jedi Temple. 


	19. The Truth

After discussing the events with the Sith while waiting for Nayr to awaken -which she still had not,- Master Yoda, and the other Jedi, all but Obi- Wan,-who volunteered to stay with Nayr until she woke up.-, to another room to discuss things about the Sith.  
  
Mirr looked over at Obi-Wan as he entered the room.  
  
"I've volunteered to stay, I've got some questions I've just got to ask."  
  
"I didn't think Jedis were curious?"  
  
"Well, it's been bothering me."  
  
Obi-Wan sat down next to the Rebel, opposite the Wookiee.  
  
"Is she normally out this long?"  
  
Before Mirr could answer, Nayr, -still suffering from nightmares-, shot up, and leapt into Obi-Wan's arms. The confused Padawan knitted his eyebrows together.  
  
Nayr pushed away from him after a few seconds, with a look of disgust.  
  
Nayr turned to Mirr, and pointed a finger at the Wookiee as Centara walked in. Nayr groaned and stood up.  
  
"It's good to see you well again Nayr."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Now, please, tell me why I'm here, again?"  
  
"We have some questions to ask you." Qui-Gon said as he walked in, Obi-Wan stood up, still a bit shaken at Nayr's surprise awakening.  
  
"Questions? Like what?" Nayr said, backing up into the corner, she turned around quickly as she realized she was trapped.  
  
"Please, sit down, relax." Astra said. Nayr shook her head violently.  
  
"No, I don't want to be here. And I'm not answering any questions."  
  
"It's about the Sith… we understand your father left you with some information on them."  
  
Nayr's eyes grew wide.  
  
"How did you find out about that? The only person who knows about that …." Nayr turned harshly to Mirr.  
  
The Wookiee stood up.  
  
"I'm sorry Nayr, they were worried. It seemed like the right thing to do."  
  
"THE 'RIGHT thing to do!? Mirr! You're on their side now too?"  
  
Nayr balled her hands into fists. "No, I'm not telling you anything, let me out of here."  
  
The Rebel pulled her blaster from her leg holster.  
  
"Nayr!"  
  
Centara gasped as the Rebel lifted the gun.  
  
"I'm telling you, let me go."  
  
"No need for violence." Master Yoda said.  
  
Obi-Wan silently crept up behind Nayr. As the Rebel aimed at Qui-Gon, Obi- Wan leapt forward, tackling Nayr to the ground, and pulling the blaster from her hand, tossing it to Master Yoda.  
  
He grabbed Nayr's wrists, and held them towards his chest as he restrained her.  
  
"Sorry to resort to this we are," Yoda said, shaking his head. "But answers we need." Mirr started forward, and Centara put a hand on the Wookiee's arm.  
  
"They won't hurt her Mirr, but we need to know what her father told her."  
  
The Wookiee groaned softly.  
  
  
  
A few minutes later, Nayr was sitting down infront of the eager Jedi, her hands in her lap, fidgety. Anger shot from the Rebel.  
  
"Now, please, tell us what your father told you about the Sith." Qui-Gon Jinn said. Obi-Wan looked away slightly, Nayr lifted an eyebrow.  
  
"Fine, if you'll let me go afterwards."  
  
"Of course," Astra said.  
  
"Fine. Before…. he was murdered, my Father had been sent to Yavin to find out about the Sith."  
  
"Ummhummm… Sent him there myself." Yoda nodded.  
  
"He found out that all the myths about the Sith were false. The always two never more, never less thing, that's not true. There is always another apprentice, the one no one knows about. Then there is the one watching, the one who knows everything going on, because no one suspects another Sith."  
  
Mirr was worried, she'd never seen her friend so upset. She began to wonder if maybe this wasn't what they needed to be doing.  
  
The Jedi were all surprised, Obi-Wan finally locked gazes with her. She looked away, the young Jedi held a strong gaze.  
  
"And, he also found out, that……" She paused, and brought the sleeve up to her eyes, to clear them of tears. Mirr growled from the back. "That the Sith also have another potential apprentice, the one who takes place after one of the others, who.. who can pass as a Jedi for a long time with out being discovered."  
  
"Idoan's killer.." Astra muttered. Nayr stood up suddenly, upsetting the chair.  
  
"Can I leave now…" She looked directly at Qui-Gon, he nodded, and the Rebel stormed from the room. She walked into the hallway, and leaned back against the wall, tears now pouring from her eyes.  
  
Everything was falling apart. Her child, or at least the young girl she considered her child, was now one of them… the people Nayr hated the most of all. Her best friend, who was more like a sister then anything, had let her down. Betrayed her! Tears poured down her face. She wiped them away again, and took off out of the temple.  
  
  
  
Nayr banged her forehead against the bar. After she'd left the temple, she'd gone home. When Mirr arrived, Nayr was still upset about the Wookiee telling the Jedi about her father's discovery, and told her she never wanted to see her again.  
  
That was hours ago.  
  
Nayr was now in the Casino, her head on the bar. She had to much on her mind. Between Mirr, Centara, the Sith, the Jedi.. and…. And the Padawan Kenobi….. it, just something about him.  
  
As if on cue, Obi-Wan walked up behind Nayr, he placed the blaster in front of her.  
  
"Forget something?" He said, sitting on the stool beside her.  
  
She looked over.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"Nothing, just returning you blaster."  
  
"Oh yeah, then why'd you sit down?" Obi-Wan fretted, Nayr put the blaster in her hip holster.  
  
"I… it's been bothering me, the fact that your father's killer was a Jedi can't possibly be the only reason you don't like them."  
  
"OH, and why not?"  
  
"You'd have to hold some pretty strong grudges."  
  
"Ok, so it's not the only reason, why are you interested?"  
  
"It's just bothered me. Ever since I was a kid I've wanted to be a Jedi. I just can't understand why someone wouldn't at least be grateful for them."  
  
"Their conceded for one thing." Nayr snapped harshly. "Look, if I tell you, will you go away?" Obi-Wan nodded, Nayr sighed. "After my father's death, even before my father's death, the Jedi looked at me as if I were scum. Like I didn't belong there. After he… he was killed, they wouldn't even 'allow me the privilege', to attend his funeral!" She rubbed her back. "At first they said they couldn't trust my word, that I was his daughter. I showed them my scar an-"  
  
"Scar?" Obi-Wan cut her off. Nayr frowned.  
  
"I chased the false Jedi Master down the hallway, he caught me off guard with his saber and cut a nice long slice otta my back. Right shoulder to left hip." Obi-Wan winced slightly. "But even after that, they wouldn't tell me. I tried for weeks, finally, I guess hoping I'd leave, they turned my home into a junk pile!" Nayr slammed her fist into the bar, but Obi-Wan could tell she was crying. "I never knew my mom, she was also a Jedi, but she was turned to the darkside before I was born. When I was born she gave me to Mirr's brother, Chewbacca.." The Rebel unbraided her hair, it poured over her shoulders. Obi-Wan frowned sympathetically. "He couldn't take care of me, so he found my father, and I lived with my dad for three years before he died. Then Mirrwell took over." Nayr's voice cracked, and she stopped.  
  
"I never knew either of my parents." Obi-Wan said quietly. "My parents dropped me off at the Temple, I was raised by the Jedi. Then, on my 13th birthday, Qui-Gon found me. Ever since I've been his Padawan, he's been like a father to me." Nayr looked over a the Padawan, who sighed. All of the sudden she felt a cold, reptile-like hand on her back.  
  
"Ev connta kigntow, ehheh?" The reptile said, Obi-Wan turned around.  
  
"Elca pusheed podder Elecan." Nayr gasped as the reptile ran a sharp knife down her scar. Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber, and took down the reptile.  
  
The whole casino seemed to stop, everyone turned to look at Nayr, hunched over the bar, and Obi-Wan, who was putting his lightsaber back. After about five seconds of silence, the bar started up again.  
  
Obi-Wan put a hand on Nayr's left shoulder.  
  
"Are you all right."  
  
Nayr shook her head, and sat up painfully. Obi-Wan caught her before she fell backwards, she winced. He looked at his hand, drenched in blood.  
  
"Sorry," he said, picking her up. "We shouldn't bother the Jedi, but this needs to be looked at." They walked out of the Casino.  
  
Obi-Wan took Nayr down the street to a group of healers he knew.  
  
"Ah, Kenobi, what brings you here?"  
  
"Well, it's not really me, it's my friend Nayr here." Obi-Wan stepped aside and Nayr tumbled forward.  
  
The healers walked forward as Obi-Wan picked up Nayr.  
  
"Follow us, we have a nice room for her."  
  
"Thank you." Obi-Wan replied quietly, noticing the long line of waiting aliens.  
  
"Do not mention it, any friend of yours is a friend of ours."  
  
Obi-Wan followed the healer into a nice room.  
  
"Sit her there, I will send someone in shortly."  
  
As Obi-Wan laid Nayr down, she came too. Her eyes fluttered, and she looked up at him, confused. She explained to him how much she hated him, or at least his kind, and yet, this was the third time she'd awaken next to him.  
  
They locked gazes for a long time, the first time since they'd met they took notice of the attractive little things about each other. Nayr's eyes brushed over Obi-Wan's sensitive features, his braid, his golden brown hair.  
  
Before either of them were thinking, Obi-Wan had bent down over the bed, and brushed his lips against Nayr's.  
  
"Ahem." Obi-Wan shot up, and walked out of the building, the healer shook his head, and looked at Nayr, who'd again blacked out. 


	20. Feelings

"Master?" Obi-Wan asked as he walked into Qui-Gon's room later that evening.  
  
Qui-Gon turned to look at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Where have you been?"  
  
"I.. I went to talk with Nayr."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The girl, Indoan's child."  
  
"Oh," Qui-Gon hid a smile. He sensed a new feeling about Obi-Wan. His Padawan was now an adult, and Qui-Gon knew all too well how feelings flooded the system at this age.  
  
"Master, can I ask you a question about something?" Obi-Wan said, sitting down in one of the white chairs.  
  
"Some 'thing,' or some'one?" Qui-Gon smiled.  
  
"Some… one…."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Nayr, it's…. I… I don't know what it is."  
  
Qui-Gon chuckled, Obi-Wan looked at his Master curiously.  
  
"You'll find out in time. It's late, get some sleep, we've got a mission tomorrow."  
  
"But Master.." Qui-Gon turned to look at Obi-Wan. "Yes master."  
  
Obi-Wan left with a sigh. 


	21. Rude Awakenings

"Wh- hey! Hands off! Who are you?" Nayr growled, pulling her gun from her holster as she woke up the next morning. The small healer pulled back quickly shocked.  
  
"I am just another healer here. Your friend brought you here last night, and you have been under our care since."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"That nasty scar on your back, it was torn and sliced, we fixed it up. Could not remove the scar though."  
  
"Remove the scar! I didn't ask you to remove the scar!" Nayr jumped to her feet, making the healer topple backwards and upset her chair. Nayr placed her gun back in her holster viciously, and took off. 


	22. Battle Plans

"Master Centara! Jedi Master Centara!" One of the newer Padawans cried, running through the temple, looking for Centara.  
  
"Over here Tik, what is it? What's wrong?"  
  
"It's M-master Yoda! He's gone! No one can find him!"  
  
"Master Yoda is gone?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Alert the others, we need to find him, and fast. With those Sith around who knows what could happen to him."  
  
"Yes master, right away!" Tik took off down the hall, Centara looked around.  
  
"All right Master Yoda, where are you?" She sat down with crossed legs, arms relaxed at her sides, hands folded in her lap. She closed her eyes and tried to focus.  
  
  
  
"M-master Qui-Gon sir?" Tik said nervously as he entered the Jedi Master's room. It was completely torn apart. Lamps and chairs were overturned, curtains were ripped, books were ripped and tossed everywhere, it looked as if there'd been a struggle.  
  
"Oh, hello Tik, is Mast-" Obi-Wan stopped as he looked into his Master's room. He ran inside. "Master? Master Qui-Gon? Tik! Tik what happened!"  
  
"I-I- I don't know! The rest of the Padawans and I haven't been able to find Master Yoda, and Master Centara just told me to find the rest of the Jedi to help locate him. "  
  
"Tik, there you are, and Obi-Wan, good, where is Qui-Gon?"  
  
"He-he's gone!"  
  
"Just like the others.."  
  
'What do you mean?" Obi-Wan said, stepping forward, Centara was leading a group of the Padawans around the temple.  
  
"It seems as if all the Jedi Masters have vanished, either that or have been kidnapped."  
  
"Then why are you still here Centara?"  
  
"Because I was not here last night, I was out with Mirrwell, trying to find Nayr."  
  
"Nayr's gone?" Obi-Wan spat surprising Centara.  
  
"Yes," She said. "But right now we need to- ooh!" Centara fell to her knees.  
  
"What's wrong!?" As Obi-Wan knelt down to help Centara, he too was struck with a pain.  
  
"What's going on!?"  
  
"It-its…. Them…" Centara managed to gasp. The Jedi masters were trying to contact them. "C-can't you feel it?" The Padawans looked at each other, they had felt a small disturbance but it was something they had grown accustomed to these past few days.  
  
All of the sudden the pain was gone. Obi-Wan and Centara reared up.  
  
"The palace!?" The shouted.  
  
"What do you mean?" Tik asked nervously, stepping up to the front of the group.  
  
"The Jedi Masters have been taken to the Palace… it, well it appeared as if it were a large, hidden room. Or a dungeon of some sort."  
  
"If all of the other Padawans only felt a disturbance, why did he fall?" Rusta questioned, pointing to Obi-Wan, he shook his head.  
  
"Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn have one of the strongest bounds ever recorded in Jedi History… Or so Master Yoda says.." Centara replied, steadying herself.  
  
  
  
"Okay, we need to get into the Palace, I am sure that the queen will have little problem, especially if they know it is the Sith."  
  
"But do we want the guards involved?" Tik asked nervously. Centara, Obi- Wan, Tik and the rest of the Jedi Padawans were now in a large room the Jedi Masters used for meetings. All of them trying to figure out how to save the kidnapped masters. Apparently some of Nayr's story was false, the Sith traveled in numbers… large numbers.  
  
From the vision that Centara and Obi-Wan received, the Masters were being held in two cells, each guarded by two Sith Lords, and three apprentices. Now yes, they could break free, but they had discovered, that they were not only in the palace, but fifteen feet under the city of Naboo any disturbance they caused could directly link to the city's downfall.  
  
The Sith had secretly built a large underground hideout, where they could transport themselves to any part of Naboo in simple seconds.  
  
"We need someone who knows the palace… a back entrance.." Centara pondered aloud.  
  
"Nayr.." Obi-Wan said, he looked up from the table to catch Centara's glance. "She worked as the weaponry assistant, right? The weaponry station is near the back of the Palace, near the air ducts, Nayr would know her way around them."  
  
"Nayr? But, isn't she the one who pulled a blaster on Master Qui-Gon?" Turf, an older Padawan at the end of the table called.  
  
"Can we trust her?" Tik said quietly.  
  
"Of course we can trust her. Nayr knows who to side with, and when to side. Our only problem now is finding her." Mirrwell called, as she walked into the room and towards Centara. Since Nayr had given Mirrwell the 'cold shoulder' she'd been hanging out with the Jedi.  
  
"Centara, I know Nayr better then anyone. If we can find her, and explain, I know she'll help us."  
  
"Even with her hatred for the Jedi?"  
  
"I happen to know she cares for two Jedi here, and wouldn't let anything happen to either of them."  
  
"Two?" Centara questioned, Obi-Wan met Mirr's gaze, the Wookiee seemed to be smiling at him, he looked down.  
  
"Okay, so Nayr's going to help us, but if she's missing, how are we going to find her?" Rusta said, even though she was a Padawan, she had a strong power with the force. She would make a fine Jedi Knight soon, thought Centara.  
  
"Nobody needs to find me if I don't want to be found."  
  
"Nayr!" Mirrwell and Centara cried.  
  
"Yeah, it's me, so, what's the problem."  
  
Nayr stormed down the stairs of the balcony, the dark and flowing cloak of her father's assassin dragging behind her, her knee high boots clanking on the metal steps. As she turned the corner the air pushed back her cloak, revealing two blasters, and… a lightsaber?  
  
Centara looked over at Obi-Wan, he didn't see her, she looked over at Nayr again, what was she doing with a lightsaber?  
  
As Nayr stood, gazing at the Jedi, Obi-Wan and Centara noticed what a frightening appearance she held. She looked evil, and menacing.  
  
"All the Jedi Masters have been kidnapped!" Tik shouted.  
  
"They've been taken to the Sith's hideout underground, under the palace." Centara filled in.  
  
"Master Qui-Gon and Master Yoda contacted Centara and I, giving us a vivid description of their area."  
  
"And since you worked near the air ducts of the Palace, we know you at least know your way around the Palace, and you might be able to help us… especially if a fight erupts."  
  
Nayr squinted her eyes, they really did expect her to help them. She met gazes with the three 'ring-leaders', the kind and sensitive Centara, the fumbling oaf of a friend Mirrwell, and .. and Obi-Wan. She looked away.  
  
"We'll need a layout, and a plan."  
  
"Oh! Thank you Nayr!" Centara cried.  
  
"By layout, you mean map?" Tik called from behind Obi-Wan, "I can get this one working for you."  
  
"This one? What do you mean?" Centara asked.  
  
"This table, it's an old map, if I can restart it, reprogramming it to draw what Nayr verbalizes would be easy."  
  
"How do you know all this?"  
  
"I talk with the Driods a lot." Centara smiled at the young boy. "All right, see what you can do."  
  
Tik, being a small boy, climbed onto the table, and towards the corner where Mirr, Obi-Wan, Centara and Nayr were standing. Being cautious around Nayr, he turned slightly in Centara's direction, and got to work.  
  
As the young Padawan began reconstructing the map, Obi-Wan turned his attention to Nayr. Had Mirr really meant what she said? About Nayr caring for him?  
  
The young rebel quickly twisted her hair into a messy bun on top of her head, as she struggled to tie it up, a few stray pieces fell out of place. She fixed her hair, and as she brought her eyes down, met Obi-Wan's gaze.  
  
"Done! Now, Nayr, whatever you say the map will draw a 3d layout of it, so be specific."  
  
Tik climbed off the table, and grinned at Obi-Wan widely. He smiled, and gave Tik's shoulder a small squeeze.  
  
  
  
Nayr quickly finished the layout, and Centara came up with a plan.  
  
The entire group would travel to the Palace, two of the Padawans and Mirr would go to talk with the queen, telling her that she shouldn't panic, but that they suspected 'foul play', and that she was to keep her guards close by, all of them.  
  
Nayr would lead Obi-Wan, Centara and all but two of the other Padawans, through the air ducts until Centara or Obi-Wan came in contact with the Jedi again. The remaining two Padawans would stand guard. 


	23. Last Glimpse

As Nayr began to scan the air ducts, and the path in which they'd chosen, Centara gathered the Jedi into the small room.  
  
"Now, as you are all well aware, we are putting ourselves, and the rest of Naboo in grave danger. We are going up against fifteen, maybe more, well- trained Sith. Our first goal is to free Master Yoda, and the rest of the Jedi Knights…. After that, the Force will guide us." The room was now gloomy, the young Padawans looked at each other for support, downcast. Obi- Wan fretted.  
  
"Don't get downhearted, the force will be with us…. Always." He advised. Nayr looked in from the air duct.  
  
"We have the all clear, and we had better get going, from what Mirr reports, the queen and her guards are getting restless, and we don't have much time if we want this to be a surprise attack."  
  
"Nayr is right, remember, follow your instincts, the force will guide you the rest of the way."  
  
Centara turned to Obi-Wan, he nodded, and followed her and Nayr into the air ducts, the rest of the Padawans close behind.  
  
  
  
"I don't understand. You Jedi have gone far enough this time." Queen Amidala mustered through clenched teeth. What did these Jedi think she was? Stupid?  
  
"You must trust us your highness, it is for your own safety."  
  
"You have fifteen minutes." As Amidala watched, she noticed the Jedi seemed a bit.. Nervous, as if they were unsure of their placement. These were not Jedi, they were merely students, Padawans as they were called. Amidala looked to Padme, her handmaiden seemed not to have noticed, so Amidala decided not to draw attention to it. Even if these were merely Jedi in training, they seemed to know something she did not. She would give them their fifteen minutes.  
  
  
  
"All right, this tunnel here leads to the 'back exit' of the Palace, if my calculations are right, the Sith would have no problem hollowing out this area here.." Nayr thought aloud, and quietly removed the bolts to a vent, pulling it towards her, a few stray pieces of plaster fell into the darkness below. "Shit.."  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
"It's a long way down, and I think they know we're coming.."  
  
"All right, listen up everyone, we have no time. Tik, you Obi-Wan, Turf and Rusta come with me, we are going to find and free the others, everyone else, go with Nayr, secure the hideout, and keep the Sith away from us until we have everyone out. May the force be with you."  
  
With that, Nayr followed by the others scrambled into the small opening, bracing themselves against the walls. As they piled into another tunnel underground, they began to split into groups; Obi-Wan and Nayr the last of their groups to leave.  
  
The two held gazes for a brief moment, Nayr turned, and quickly followed after her group.  
  
Obi-Wan watched in dismay, he'd seen Nayr fight, but was she skilled enough to handle the Sith? He cleared his mind, he had other things to worry about. 


	24. A Battle Means No More Secrets

"Qui-Gon.." Yoda mumbled as he made his way across the cold, barren floor to his fellow Jedi. "On their way they are."  
  
"Yes, but.. Something is not right Master Yoda. This new knight, Centara, who is leading them, is she not the sister of a Sith apprentice?"  
  
"Mmhmmm.."  
  
"Are you sure she can do this?"  
  
"Strong in the force she is, Qui-Gon. Rely in her, and your Padawan we now must."  
  
Qui-Gon nodded, and looked away as one of the Sith guards walked past.  
  
  
  
"That's it, we have given you plenty of chances. Guards, secure the area, find these 'other Jedi', and bring them before me immediately."  
  
Queen Amidala shouted, standing up.  
  
Mirrwell roared softly, and looked at the younger Padawans beside her, she need to contact Nayr.  
  
  
  
"Okay, you with the blue hair, come here.." Nayr cried softly as she and her party neared a fork in the tunnels. "I need you and three others to fan out to the sides, everyone else; double file behind me. We move on three…. One… two….. three!"  
  
The Padawans all removed lighsabers they had constructed themselves while training at the temple.  
  
"Jedi! Go! Go and alert Darth Laum!!" A Sith from the side called out as Nayr's group entered the fork.  
  
"Fire at will!" Nayr shouted to the young children. She pulled her second blaster from her leg, and began to fire at the gathering Sith.  
  
"Nayr! Nayr I don't know where you are but, but the queen has just ordered her guards out! If you're not where you're supposed to be, I suggest you get there soon, or deploy a decoy!"  
  
Nayr groaned, and shot a clean shot into the shoulder of a tall Sith, she lead her group into a large room, and slowed down.  
  
They hadn't prepared for this…..  
  
As the young Padawan learners entered the room, they too stopped and stared.  
  
The room was large, and many levels were stacked high, Sith and others stood at the railing of many balconies, looking down upon their attackers. To the left of the center of the room stood and elevator, the doors slammed shut as a Sith lord walked out.  
  
He walked towards center to join three other Sith lords, five apprentices, and millions upon millions of driods.  
  
"I see we have visitors, pity you did not warn us before hand, we could've worn our best."  
  
"ATTACK!" Nayr shouted. She noticed that minus the driods, she and her group were not too gravely outnumbered, she just hoped these Jedi-to-be proved promising. She fired at the Sith Lords, and her thoughts wondered to Obi-Wan.  
  
  
  
"M-master Centara, there are two Sith lords with three apprentices each, and a countless number of driods in there! How are we supposed to free them, and make it out alive?" The young and worried Tik asked quietly. He, Centara and Rusta were on one side of the hallway, Obi-Wan and Turf on the other. Obi-Wan and Centara had lightsabers up and ready for anything. Rusta and Turf were removing theirs, and Tik's was at his side, shakily.  
  
"We must trust in the force. All together on three, one… two… three.." The five burst into the room, taking quickly to the Sith. Obi-Wan and Centara to the masters, the Padawans to the driods and apprentices.  
  
Young Tik couldn't do it. He just wasn't meant for battle. He cut down a driod in front of him, and moved to one of the cells.  
  
"I-I, what do I do?" He asked shakily to Master Qui-Gon Jinn as he neared the cell.  
  
"Slowly bring your lightsaber down on the lock, it should melt off."  
  
"Yes master." He took a look around, everything seemed to be in order, he slowly lowered his guard and brought down his weapon slowly.  
  
The Jedi in the cell tried their best to protect him, while getting rid of the driods fighting their rescuers.  
  
  
  
Nayr watched and fired at the same time as the battle raged on. She was now beginning to realize something that the Sith lords must have realized as well; if they destroyed this room, the entire underground hideout would collapse, including whatever part of Naboo it happened to support…. Like the Palace.  
  
"Everyone! Be carefull what you hit! If this place collapses, so does everything else!"  
  
At that moment, either a very desperate, or a very stupid Sith shot at one of the large pillars in the center of the room.  
  
As he ran for the elevator followed by the Sith Lords. Then, Nayr's breath caught in her throat, they were going to lose: the Sith continued fighting! Even though the entire hideout was going to tumble upon them at any given moment. Nayr sputtered, and backed into a Padawan.  
  
"Hurry! Everyone! Back into the tunnel, we have to get the others and get out of here quick!"  
  
  
  
"There!" Young Tik cried, quickly the Jedi Masters ran from the cell, using the force to knock down the driods.  
  
Master Yoda lead two other masters to a small glass case the lightsabers were being held in. They quickly unlocked the case, and began tossing the traditional Jedi weapons about.  
  
As Qui-Gon caught his, he saw a flash of light.  
  
"Tik! Tik look-out!" But he was too late. The young boy was struck down from behind by a ravenous Sith Apprentice.  
  
Qui-Gon stared horrified as the young boy's confused gaze met his own. The young boy toppled over, and the two main doors burst open. The other Padawans and the uncontrollable Rebel girl fell into the room, followed by more of the enemy.  
  
Qui-Gon Jinn ran to the young boys' side. He knelt beside him, looking him over.  
  
The young boy met the older man's gaze.  
  
"P-please make sure Centara gets out okay.." He muttered, his eyes locked on the abyss.  
  
The sullen Jedi Master closed the young boys' eyes, and returned, ruefully, to the battle.  
  
  
  
As Obi-Wan struck down the Sith Lord, he was filled with hope as the rest of the Jedi Master filed into the fight.  
  
"I think we're winning!" He heard the young Rusta shout, but he then noticed Nayr and her band of fighters enter the room, rather harshly, followed by more Sith, and more driods.  
  
"I don't think so, not yet! Listen; somebody shot down a pillar in the other room, this whole place is gonna crumble, we need to get everyone out of here quick!"  
  
No sooner had Nayr given the warning, then a loud siren blared:  
  
"Immediate evacuation in levels 13, 17, 20, 3, 2, 4, 10, 22, 8-" The computer kept counting, but no-one seemed to be paying attention.  
  
Nayr slammed back into a wall, and the Sith challenging her knocked the blaster from her hand. She had one blaster left, and she knew she had no ammo. Quickly looking down she remembered her lightsaber… it had been forever since she had used one, did she still remember how?  
  
Firing her last shot, she knew she had no choice. She hit the Sith over the head with her blaster, and pulled out her lightsaber, hitting the button, the red light shot up, and out of both ends.  
  
Fitting her hands to the weapon once more, Nayr lunged at her attacker.  
  
  
  
Obi-Wan was stunned, Nayr not only had a lightsaber, but a double-bladed Sith lightsaber.  
  
And he had let his guard down again.  
  
A Sith came up behind him, an unarmed Sith, and kicked the lightsaber from his hand.  
  
  
  
Centara came face to face with the Sith Lord opposite her as their lightsabers sizzled and burned. She wasn't losing, but she wasn't winning.  
  
Hearing Nayr call out, she knew she had to get everyone out of there, but how? The Sith wouldn't let them go that easy, and obviously the they weren't planing on leaving any time soon.  
  
As her arms gave way to the strong arms of the muscled Sith, Turf ran over, and distracted him, giving Centara enough time to regroup. Together they tore the Sith Lord down.  
  
"Thank you.." Centara gasped, Turf bowed slightly, and took off in another direction.  
  
  
  
Nayr sliced into the soft stomach of her attacker. Glaring into his eyes she pulled the saber from his wound, kicking him to the ground.  
  
Looking about, she saw Obi-Wan, engaged in a fist fight. She ran over to help out.  
  
"Hey Jedi! Catch!" She tossed Obi-Wan the double-bladed weapon, a fatal mistake.  
  
As Obi-Wan cut down his foe, he turned in time to see Nayr, shot from behind by a driod. Her eyes grew wide, and she toppled to her knees as she tried desperately to block the wound, it was no use. She fell over onto her side.  
  
"NO!" He cried, and ran forward. The driod was sliced in half by Rusta. She ran towards Obi-Wan and the fallen rebel.  
  
"Obi-Wan… Obi-Wan we have to get out of here! The walls are shaking! Come on!" She took off, followed by a few other Padawans, the Sith were retreating.  
  
Obi-Wan was now on his knees, he lifted Nayr's head gently.  
  
Nayr coughed. The thick red liquid filled her mouth, she looked up at Obi- Wan through painfilled eyes. "I… I was starting to forget.. I-" Obi-Wan shook his head. He quickly removed his cloak, and wrapped it around Nayr, since the one she was wearing was tattered, torn and now bloody. He pulled her towards him, and leaned his head against hers, feeling her labored breaths as if they were his own, wishing they were.  
  
  
  
As the Sith began to retreat, Qui-Gon Jinn bashed the head of the driod in front of him, and took towards the exit. Looking around him, he saw his Padawan learner, Obi-Wan Kenobi, fall to his knees by the Rebel girl, she had been wounded. He ran over.  
  
  
  
"Nayr… Nayr listen to me! Wake up!" Obi-Wan shouted as Nayr's eyes fluttered. "Listen Nayr, if you were starting to forget, then maybe you were beginning to remember… We all know you carry the force Nayr, use it! Concentrate Nayr.." Obi-Wan scanned Nayr's painfilled, yet determined face desperate to find any signs of hope. She took in a slow breath, and nodded slightly, closing her eyes. She re-opened them, briefly, and tried to say something, but silenced herself.  
  
Obi-Wan couldn't make it out.  
  
It looked like 'yes master'.  
  
  
  
"Obi-Wan, let's go…" Qui-Gon Jinn squeezed his Padawan's shoulder.  
  
Obi-Wan looked up at him, Qui-Gon noticed his apprentice looked desperate, but he nodded.  
  
Picking up Nayr, Qui-Gon pushed him towards the exit, and looked around once more for any wounded survivors.  
  
Seeing none, he followed the others up the air ducts, helping the failing Nayr and Obi-Wan along the way. 


	25. Is There Hope?

Mirrwell looked over her shoulder at the others. She and many Jedi were waiting in a private room in the healers' quarter of the Jedi temple.  
  
The room was a dreary cream-yellow, and round as a black hole. Mirrwell was peering into a window, no one was there.  
  
Centara was pacing back and forth, her newly appointed apprentice, Rusta watching her nervously.  
  
Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Qui-Gon Jinn were seated towards the back. Obi-Wan leaning forward, hands folded in his lap. Qui-Gon Jinn's hand was on his companion's shoulder comfortingly. The young man was downhearted, even though he now wore the cloak of a Jedi Master.  
  
All of the sudden, the door burst open, sending the occupants to their feet.  
  
"Now, I suggest you all sit down."  
  
"H-how is she!?" Centara cried, running up to the healer.  
  
"She's… well I guess she's been better. She leaps off into these… flights of fantasy, doesn't really have too much movement in her legs yet. Everything seems to be in order though.. we just don't understand. It seems like she's not putting up much of a fight, as if she didn't care one way or the other."  
  
"Can we see her?" Mirrwell asked nervously, she and Nayr had grown apart these few days, she needed to apologize to her friend. She didn't want to lose her.  
  
"No.. she doesn't want to see anyone…" The healer paused, as if he had more to say, everyone sat down, tense, eyes on him. "Anyone but Master Qui-Gon Jinn."  
  
The room slapped itself into silence. Nayr only wanted to see Qui-Gon Jinn?  
  
The Jedi master stood up, and quietly followed the healer into the back room.  
  
Mirrwell caught Centara's eye as the doors swung back and forth.  
  
  
  
"Remember what I said; if she starts to 'fly off', call me." Qui-Gon nodded, and entered the small white room.  
  
Nayr was sitting up in a bed, her hair tossed, and unkempt looking, hanging around her shoulders.  
  
She looked up as Qui-Gon walked in.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
Nayr just stared at him, he took a seat calmly by the bed. A few moments of deafening silence followed, finally Nayr spoke.  
  
"Is there hope for a person like me?" Qui-Gon straightened up, and looked at the young Rebel. She slowly turned her head to look him in the eye. "Is there?"  
  
"I can't answer that I'm afraid." Nayr lowered her head. "Everyone has a future Nayr, everyone has hope. It's what they chose to follow, how they follow it, that decides their fate." He stood up. "You have to find out for yourself, no one can do it for you, young Solo."  
  
She returned to staring at the wall.  
  
"Do you want me to send anyone in?"  
  
"No." She spat quickly, yet it sounded hesitant. Qui-Gon nodded, and left, turning so Nayr could hear him.  
  
"He's worried, and so are they. You don't want to lose them, I know you don't." He left, closing the door silently behind him.  
  
Nayr turned her head to watch the door.  
  
  
  
"Qui-Gon! Qui-Gon how is she?" Centara called, standing up as Qui-Gon Jinn re-entered the room.  
  
"She is fine, just confused. Give her some time. I have a feeling that when she does get out, things will be very different."  
  
He said with a bit of a grin, looking at Mirr, Centara, then Obi-Wan. His former Padawan fretted, possibly still un-comfortable about his feelings towards this rebel girl. He was young though, Qui-Gon thought, he'd get over it. 


	26. That's Funny...

"Hey! Yeah you," Nayr cried, motioning for the healer down the hall to come over. It was a week after Nayr had been admitted to the hospital.  
  
"Yes?" He replied. He was a tall healer, taller than the others. She looked at his name tag, Greedo.  
  
"Where's Thisk?"  
  
"Thisk? Mm, I'm not sure.."  
  
"Well, tell him I-" Nayr paused. "Tell him thanks for me will you?"  
  
"Of course. Are- are you sure you're able to leave? Are you feeling well enough?"  
  
"I'm feeling fine, actually, better then ever."  
  
"Well, take care of yourself, Solo."  
  
Nayr nodded, and walked off down the hallway. She stopped, and turned her head, the healer was gone. 


	27. Old Traditions

"Centara?" Mirrwell called, peering into the girl's room.  
  
"Oh, hello Mirrwell." Centara said, the young Jedi Master was meditating. Mirrwell stepped aside, and Nayr walked in.  
  
"Nayr! Nayr you're all right!" Centara jumped to her feet and rushed over.  
  
"'Course I'm all right kiddo." Centara hugged her mentor. Even though she was know an adult, fully capable of taking care of herself, she still looked to Nayr as an older sibling, a close friend, and her most trusted mentor.  
  
"Where's your cloak?" Centara questioned, noticing that Nayr was no longer wearing her 'victory cloak' as she called it. She had donned the outfit of one of the Padawans. A light cream outfit with brown boots. Her hair was hanging at her back, Centara could see the un-even pieces that fell beyond her knees.  
  
"Oh, that.. I've, well- I'm gonna get that later. I've just come to apologize."  
  
"Apologize? For what?"  
  
"The way I've acted lately. Jumping to conclusions, being quick to judge, and.. and.. well, holding grudges."  
  
"Does this mean you-?"  
  
"Sort of. I think Master Qui-Gon Jinn thinks I'm too old. Eh, I don't blame him." Nayr leaned against the doorway, Centara folded her hands.  
  
"So, what kind of damage did the Sith do? What'd we knock down?"  
  
"The back quarters of the palace, three shops, and the place you and Mirr were staying."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"I've been camping out here in one of the spare rooms. We, well, the Jedi decided that you might need a place to stay, so we cleared out a room for you too."  
  
"What?"  
  
"The room of a former Jedi Master.."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You'll understand when we show you."  
  
Nayr nodded, confused.  
  
"C'mon! Let's show her!" Centara cried, and she and Mirr blindfolded Nayr, leading her down the hallways of rooms. The young Padawans peering out of their rooms and study halls.  
  
"Are they showing her?"  
  
"Yeah! C'mon let's go!" Soon many of the Jedi Padawans were following behind the trio.  
  
"One! Two! Three!"  
  
Centara and Mirr removed the blindfold.  
  
Nayr was standing in front of her father's old room. His name was on the door.  
  
She reached up and traced her fingers over it. Tears came to her eyes, and before long were flowing down her cheeks.  
  
Mirrwell and Centara looked at each other as the Padawans murmured, was this really a good idea?  
  
As if hearing their question, Nayr turned, and threw her arms around both Mirr and Centara.  
  
"Thank you." She whispered. 


	28. Can It Be True?

Nayr was in her room, looking over all her fathers old things, when Rusta, Centara's Apprentice, walked in.  
  
"Are you going to stay here, Nayr?"  
  
"Well, most likely." Nayr turned to face the young girl, and stood up. At the age of 21, Nayr felt as if she were millions of years older than all the children here. She smiled, since many of them respected her as they would a Jedi master.  
  
"Will.. will you train? Train to be a Jedi?" Nayr sat down on her bed.  
  
"I don't know. I.. I don't think I could live like you do, without hating, that sort of thing. I'm just not disciplined enough. Besides, if I remember correctly, I am much, much too old to be trained. I think I'll stick to my new job."  
  
Rusta nodded, and left.  
  
Nayr sighed, and flopped down on her bed.  
  
  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Everything's ready."  
  
"Good,"  
  
Rusta nodded to the shadows, and took off down the hallway, a dark figure made its way towards Nayr's room.  
  
  
  
Nayr closed her door, and slipped into her night gown. Sitting at her vanity, she began to braid her hair.  
  
She turned her head as someone knocked on the door. She twisted her hair loosely on her head, and opened the door.  
  
"Hello?" She looked down the hallway to her left, and then looked down.  
  
It was her old cloak and the double-bladed saber she'd lost during the fight.  
  
She picked up the items, and looked to her right, there he was.  
  
Obi-Wan Kenobi was walking down the hallway.  
  
His newly earned Jedi Master cloak swirled around him adding to his vision of mystery, and to Nayr's attraction to him.  
  
The cloak and weapon fell from Nayr's hands, clanging on the floor.  
  
Obi-Wan stopped, and turned his head as Nayr walked up to him.  
  
He scanned her eyes, looking for any emotions, she was completely unreadable. Her eyes seemed to burn into his, and as he was about to look away, she threw her arms around his neck, and pulled him into a kiss.  
  
Shocked, Obi-Wan stood motionless. As she slowly pulled away, he noticed she looked embarrassed, rejected. He ran his hand through her hair.  
  
"Welcome home," he then returned her kiss. He picked her up, and spun her around in the hallway. 


	29. The Enigma *End*

Centara lit the fire, and backed up to rejoin her Padawan.  
  
She and the others who'd bravely fought the week before were watching as the brave souls who'd not come out alive were set to flame.  
  
Tears came to Centara's eyes as she watched the blurry vision of Tik in front of her. Rusta gave her master's hand an encouraging squeeze.  
  
The other Jedi Masters were at the head of the group, and Qui-Gon couldn't help noticing Obi-Wan and Nayr.  
  
Obi-Wan and Nayr were standing side-by-side, their hands clasped behind the cloaks, as if it were a secret.  
  
  
  
Nayr looked at Mirr, her eyes had started to water, her hard covering was coming down. The Wookiee smiled, it was a bitter sweet smile, she tried to offer the youngsters hope. They had not told anyone about their 'relationship' yet. Mirr met Obi-Wan's gaze, and nodded slightly, she then turned her attention back to the pyres.  
  
  
  
"Wise do you think this is?" Qui-Gon returned to his present time, and turned to look at Yoda.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Obi-Wan, and this young Rebel?"  
  
"I don't know," Yoda raised an eyebrow. "But I feel as if whatever their future brings, we'll gain another Jedi."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Whom? Nayr?" Centara asked solemnly, looking over at the two Masters.  
  
"No.. a child." Qui-Gon replied, and gave the young girl a smile.  
  
"A child?" Centara fretted.  
  
"Yes, an enigma shall we say." Qui-Gon said, looking towards Nayr.  
  
Centara looked at her friend, her guardian, and smiled. She took flowers from Rusta, and tossed them into Tik's fire.  
  
The smoke hissed, and sparks flew into the air, Centara watched them dance into the night sky. 


End file.
